Witches, witches everywhere!
by israelhusky
Summary: Genre: Historical fantasy. France, XVII century. Chip Maplewood, ranger of the town of St. Pierre, tries to protect his childhood friend Tammy from the inquisitors who accused her of witchcraft. On a single night, the ranger's world is turned upside down. Witches really exist, and some of them regret their condition.
1. Chapter 1 - Sleepwalking

Witches, witches everywhere!

Episode 1: The witch, the priest and the cooking book

**Witches, witches everywhere!**

**Episode 1: The witch, the priest and the cooking book**

**Chapter 1 – Sleepwalking.**

Province of Normandy, France. At the end of the XVII century…

"No… this isn't right" Chip said to himself taking a look at his map. "The forest exit is east from here, not northeast… gosh! If I just didn't feel so sleepy!

With a big yawn, the black-nosed chipmunk stored the map in his backpack, put his hood on and gave a last look into the horizon from the top of the tree where he was standing. The forest of Maulevrier stretched itself majestic and picturesque in all directions around, like a sea of trees full of life fed by the ancient river Seine in its wavering path through Normandy. In these last days of summer, gentle and soothing sea breeze was blowing from the west, from the famous port of Le Havre, passing over Maulevrier, and reaching the city of Rouen. Chip liked to imagine that the wind could reach even more faraway lands like Belgium and Germany.

This splendid and peaceful landscape, along with the rustle of the trees as they were swayed by the wind made Chip to sink in his thoughts, which had a recent tendency to melancholy. Eight years ago, Chip had entered this forest for the first time. Fame, fortune and seafood allergy had driven him to leave his parents and brothers at the port. Shamefully, just a few days later he found himself completely lost. But... how could he have met Dale otherwise? The happy-go-lucky chipmunk was just as lost as him, but instead of worrying about food and shelter, he was just laying on a branch playing his lute. Dale's music was what caught Chip's attention on the first place, and they were both so happy for having found someone to talk to, that they didn't care walking in circles anymore on the following days, while telling each other the story of their lives. It turned out that Dale was also looking for fame and fortune, but by entering the show business. His lute was a cherished gift from his mother, part of a troupe of traveling artists, a memento from the day she reluctantly let him go seek his fortune.

While Chip lost in his thoughts was staring at the woods but at the same time he wasn't, a carrier pigeon landed to rest for a moment on the opposite branch of the same tree. This pigeon was just starting to enjoy the beautiful sight of the forest when a loud, loud yawn from Chip startled her and almost makes her fall from the branch. Turning quickly towards the source of the ill-mannered sound, she struggled to distinguish Chip from the foliage, as the chipmunk was dressed with his green cloak and hood. Actually, she only managed to discover him due to a second yawn that Chip tried to cover with his paw.

"Chip Maplewood? Is that you?" asked the female pigeon.

"Agnes?" Chip asked coming back to reality. "How long have you been here? I didn't notice you!"

"I didn't notice you either! That green cloak of yours makes you almost invisible here!"

"Well, that's the point of it, I guess… It's the official ranger uniform."

"Then let me tell you Mr. ranger, your loud yawns betrayed you! Did you have a bad night?"

"More like a bat night, I'd say… Actually, I spent three nights at the bat cave near Duclair."

Agnes couldn't help to smile awkwardly. "The bat cave of Duclair? And you had to live with them three nights? Ohh that explains the stench, hehehe."

"The stench?" Chip immediately smelled his cloak. "It is very noticeable? I… I don't smell anything anymore… I suppose I got used to it…"

Agnes covered his beak to avoid smelling anymore. "You bet! What were you doing in that cave? Did you meet Eaglewood?"

"That's right" Said Chip while rubbing his tired eyes. "I was ordered to convince him and his pack to stop raiding St. Pierre, but they were so stubborn! It took me all these three nights to get to an agreement with them. At the end I did it! No more nocturnal raids!"

"Wonderful! So… where are you heading now? Back to St. Pierre? The pigeon pointed her wing in the direction of a small walled town located at the edge of the forest.

"Yep" answered Chip. "Reporting back to the mayor. But I needed to get my bearings first; I must get to the town before nightfall."

"Before nightfall?" Agnes looked at the sky, it was already past noon. "I'm afraid you are not gonna make it..."

"I know that." Was the blunt response from Chip.

"You know that?"

"Yeah… But I'll figure out something… anyway, I guess I should leave now… It was nice to see you, Agnes, take care!" With a quick jump, Chip started to climb down the tree.

Agnes laughed inwardly. "_Typical Chip_" she thought, "_Mr. I-can-do-it-alone… I wonder if that attitude was a requirement to get his job. Well, I haven't done my good deed of the day, so…_"

"Chip, wait!"

"Yeah?" The voice of Chip came from somewhere beneath the leaves of the tree.

"I was thinking…" Said Agnes to the leaves. "I'm on my way to Rouen, but I can make a quick deviation to St. Pierre… Do you want a ride?"

"mmh… I suppose I could use the ride…" Said Chip's voice. "But only because I really need to get to the town before dusk… thanks Agnes… ok, first let me climb back up there…"

Agnes rose in the air with Chip on her back. The sun was right above them. In the distance they were able to see flocks of birds heading for the beach, the river and other places to spend the summer day. Chip looked at them thoughtfully trying to tell their species: ducks, geese, swallows sparrows... no ravens in sight...

Agnes turned her head to see her passenger who was very silent. Chip didn't notice… he continued to stare at the neighbor birds that were flying near. Agnes could guess very well the reason for his friend's pondering. After all, she was with him the day when his trauma was born ... almost two years ago.

"So... what's the word from your inner voices, Chip?" She asked teasingly.

"Hey!" replied Chip as fast as he could. "I don't know what you are talking about! I'm sane!"

"Yeah right…" answered the pigeon with a grin. "But you're still looking for that pair of magical ravens, aren't you?"

"That's not true!" Replied Chip with a blush. "I was just… gazing at the horizon, that's all…"

"haha ok ranger… don't get 'mad'. You know that your terrible secret is safe with me… but that doesn't mean I can't taunt you from time to time… hahaha"

"How funny…" was the dry reply from Chip.

The pair spent the rest of the flight talking about trivial unimportant matters. One hour later, Agnes began to descend to her destination, the peaceful town of Saint Pierre-de-Varengeville.

Saint Pierre, in the time this story occurred, was a quiet town with roughly two hundred human inhabitants. Following traditions, the houses, market, city hall and a pair of workshops were all built around the main square and the church. The town itself was defended by an ancient wall with gates located at the east and west sides. As usual, the cemetery was built outside of the town. Some miles away, at the side of the road to Rouen, stood the ruins of a castle where a now forgotten family of landlords used to live and rule centuries ago.

The humans who live in Saint Pierre are dedicated to woodcutting. Bit by bit and year by year, the forest of Maulevrier is cut down and its wood is sent to the many ports alongside the English Channel. This of course means that the wild, small animals of the forest are left without homes, but they have found a passive aggressive way of payback: to move to Saint Pierre. There are so many rodents living there that a guard had to be created to maintain peace and a mayor had to be elected. Soon they found that the humans were very superstitious, and the wild animals of Saint Pierre exploited that weakness to create such fear on their furless neighbors that no human dares to walk out at night through the streets. Lamps are extinguished, voices are heard, socks disappear, horses, cats and dogs refuse to work. The town belongs to animals from dusk to dawn.

To avoid being seen by humans, the wild beings created their own gate on the north side of the wall, next to the cemetery. They even went so far as to fake some dancing lights on the gravestones to make sure no human get close to that gate at night. The humans were so scared that even the cemetery chapel is abandoned at night and nobody wants to work as grave keeper anymore...

And so, Agnes finally arrived to Saint Pierre. She chose to land behind the abandoned chapel of the cemetery to avoid being seen by the local carrier pigeons. Saying goodbye to Chip, she rose again in the air to continue her own mission.

"Bye Chip, take care! Please don't tell anyone I deviated from my route!"

"Don't worry about it, Agnes!" said Chip waving his paw. "Thanks for the ride!"

At the north gate, a pair of rat guards were spending their day checking on the travelers that wanted to enter the town.

"Hey Claude" Said one of the rats. "Look who is coming"

"Well well… none other than our favorite vagabond! Hey Chip, long time no see!"

Chip uncovered his face and answered the guard's greeting with a fake smile. "It was only three days, Claude… I assume you missed me?"

"hahaha of course! Actually, we can't imagine how might this town survive without you, right, Montaron?" Claude gave Montaron a quick wink, and the fellow guard nodded his head, trying to contain the laughter.

"So, Chip" Claude continued. "I heard you went to talk to the bats of Duclair. Oh boy, three days there and you return stinking just like them!"

"Yeah, well… it was worth it" answered Chip. "The bat clan accepted the truce, they promised to not raid again our markets. So be happy, thanks to me, you can continue to sleep on your post at night without worries!"

Claude's face turned red. "What! We… we don't sleep on our posts, you little…"

"Yes you do! Everybody knows that!" Replied Chip with a sardonic smile.

"We... I… " Claude decided to change the topic. "I want to know… How in blazes did you convince these nocturnal raiders to stop stealing our food?"

"Oh it was easy…" Chip answered shrugging. "They will keep coming to town… not as burglars, but as our brand new night watch. They will help you the guards to vigil Saint Pierre at night, in exchange for food and shelter. It is a wonderful deal, isn't it?"

Claude and Montaron stood speechless for a moment. "We… will work… with those bats?"

"They will arrive tonight, so be ready to greet them" Chip declared triumphant. "Now, if you excuse me…"

Leaving the gate guards perplexed, Chip finally entered the town of Saint Pierre. Finally.


	2. Chapter 2 - Good friends

**Chapter 2 – Good friends**

At that hour of the day, humans were busy on the streets of the town, coming from here to there trying to finish their chores before dusk, because everyone there knew that the mischievous spirits and leprechauns enjoyed to play jokes on them at night, like that night some years ago when the mayor declared that the situation had a logical explanation and suddenly all the lamps were blown off at the same time and the church bells started to chime uncontrollably. The message was understood: in St. Pierre, the day is for the humans, the night is for the gnomes.

Chip managed to avoid to be run over by humans, horses and carriages as he made his way to his first stop: The inn, property of the parents of his beloved friend Tammy.

Before entering into the hostel, Chip took a look through one of the windows. There behind the bar was Tammy herself, with her long fluffy tail and red hair in single braid, cotton blouse and long skirt, serving drinks with a lovely smile. Suddenly, one of the customers, a hamster, blushed and shrugged suggesting he hadn't enough coins to pay for the drinks. Tammy's smile disappeared; she glared at the hamster with fiery eyes, muttered something and pointed at the coat of arms with the lonely sword that adorned the bar. The hamster shuddered, made a nodding gesture and quickly started to look for coins all over his clothes, while Tammy drummed her fingers impatiently. Fortunately for the hamster, he found some coins inside one of his boots, and offered them to Tammy a bit embarrassed. She accepted the coins and thanked him smiling again.

Chip laughed inwardly. Little Tammy was in her way to become a great businesswoman. _"If only her parents were here..."_ he thought with sadness as he looked up to the coat of arms and its missing second sword.

It was a funny story how they all met. Dale and Chip had been wandering in the forest for two weeks or so, and that morning they were fighting over the biggest nut they had found for breakfast. Their quarrel made them stumble and roll down a slope, only to land right in front of Tammy and her parents who were taking a walk through the forest that same day. _"It must have been a really weird sight for Tammy, Elizabeth and Gerald"_ Chip thought with a blush. _"Watching me and Dale coming out of the bushes with our ragged clothes and fighting over a nut, although that was probably what moved them to offer us shelter here in their inn. In any case, I owe them very much."_

Forcing himself to smile again, Chip entered the inn.

"Chipper!" exclaimed Tammy in a burst of happiness just by watching him open the door. The young squirrel immediately left the bar and her astonished customers and ran to receive him with a hug and big kiss on his cheek. "You are finally back! I missed you!"

The hamster at the bar couldn't believe that was the same girl that threatened him with a sword some minutes ago.

Chip hug and kissed back her friend. "Hi Tammy! How are you? Calm down! I was only out for three days!"

"really? It was only three days,?" replied the young girl a bit baffled. "It seemed more time to me and... and..." Tammy suddenly covered her nose. "What's that smell?"

Chip suddenly remembered and his face turned red. "Oh yes my cloak! It guess still has the smell of cave and..."

"Don't say more! Put your cloak in the basket. Your jacket too. I'll wash them right away. There are clean clothes in your room."

Chip and Dale were sharing a room at the upper floor of the inn. He quickly went up there to avoid more embarrassment. When he opened the door found out that Tammy was right. Clean, folded clothes were expecting him over his bed. For a moment, he felt guilty. He should be the one taking care of Tammy, not the other way around. Anyway, as he put on a white collar shirt and a fancy dark brown leather doublet (both rewards from a previous mission), a funny memory crossed his mind. He remembered the words of his former teacher: _"We rangers don't need fancy perfumed clothes! Actually, we don't need clothes at all! I blame society!"_. Chip smiled mischievously and finished to button his clothes. A pair of dark belts around his waist and his trusty knife inside its scabbard completed his outfit. On the mirror, he looked rather good, and all was thanks to Tammy…

"Tammy?" asked Chip while coming downstairs.

"Yes, Chipper?" Tammy voice echoed from inside her room.

"I put the dirty clothes in the basket of my room. I also left my bow and arrows. And... thanks for washing my shirts, they are white clean!"

"Oh no problem! I could do it every day, Chipper!" sounded the voice with a feeling of joy.

"Hehehe right…" whispered Chip nervously.

"I'll be back on the bar on a minute, I'm giving Bink her third lunch of the day, feel free to have a snack!"

"Gee thanks, Tammy!" Chip walked to the bar and sit there, then decided to give a quick look at the customers of that day…

Over a table at the corner of the house, a shaking apple was the first thing that caught Chip's attention. For a moment, he thought he was having another 'episode' and gulped in fear. He started to look around for the ravens. Suddenly, from behind the apple a green fly appeared; occupied on cutting apple pieces with an insect sized sword. Chip let out a sigh, relieved. He was still in the real world. Discretely, Chip noticed some strange details about that fly besides his needle-like rapier… He was wearing a scout uniform: black hooded cloak and red jacket. Also, he was cutting the apple like an expert fencer. Out of a sudden, the insect turned his eyes towards Chip. The black-nosed chipmunk had to pretend he was looking at the other tables and only then he realized something even more strange… A lot of tables were occupied by soldiers! Thanks to their black uniforms, feathered hats and insignias, Chip recognized them as mice musketeers from Rouen.

"This… is not good" muttered the ranger with concern.

"What's not good?" Said Tammy coming out from her room.

"Oh Tammy, you are back"

"Yes I am! I need to keep serving this wave of customers!"

Chip arched his eyebrow, incredulous. "Are you not… worried to see so many soldiers?"

"Not at all" answered Tammy. "A pair of foreign mercenaries came this morning and told me that their squad will be coming today so I prepared the best food of my mother's book."

"Foreign mercenaries!? What foreign mercenaries?"

"Yeah…" Said Tammy thoughtfully. "A pair of Englishmen, I think… They even rented rooms. Ah! One is here!" Tammy pointed to the green hooded fly. "That cute fly is one of them. The other one… was a bit strange… Big mustachoed mouse with a giant sword, but dressed with a plaid skirt… He bought all the cheese of the house and went straight to his room. He must be asleep now, if you listen carefully, you can hear him snoring."

Chip was even more intrigued. "Plaid skirt, you say? Ohh I know… he must be Scottish… that garment is called 'Kilt'."

"Really?" Asked Tammy baffled. "And what's the difference between a skirt and a kilt?"

"There are a lot of differences... For instance..."

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Yelled a known voice at the entrance of the inn. "Your wait is over! The great Dale Oakmont, master bard of Normandy, has finally arrived!"

"Hey look Chipper!" Said Tammy with a smile. "Dale is here! And he seems inspired today".

Dale Oakmont entered the inn and walk proudly to the stage at one of the corners of the house. His bard outfit was a big display of extravaganza: a half red half yellow satin shirt with a wide turned down collar; sleeves ending on cuffs with ruffles; a wide black sash to tie the shirt; long roomy red cape; a wide brimmed red hat with a yellow plume. And at last but not least, his most valued treasure… his orange lute.

Unfortunately, Only Chip, Tammy and the fly on the opposite corner were paying attention to him. The rest of the soldiers just didn't care. Offended, Dale coughed loudly. There was no response. Time for plan B. He adjusted the strings of his lute and played some chords in a weird and unnatural fast way. This time, everyone around him turned their eyes on him, if only to know who was making such noise. With a naughty smile, Dale continued the show.

"Thank you, thank you!" the bard greeted his audience with a quick reverence. "Now, the first song of this fine evening is an ode in English that I have named 'Rock around the clock'! I know you will like it!"

While everyone was trying to grasp the meaning of such name, Dale started to play more quick notes and to jump from one side to another of the stage. Then, the lyrics started.

"One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock,  
Five, six, seven o'clock, eight o'clock rock.  
Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock rock,  
We're gonna rock! Around! the clock tonight.

Put your glad rags on, join me hon',  
We'll have some fun when the clock strikes one.

We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,  
We're gonna rock, rock, rock till broad daylight.  
We're gonna rock, gonna rock,  
Around the clock tonight.

Sitting on their places at the bar, Chip and Tammy were listening incredulous the chords and words of the weird song.

"My goodness!" exclaimed Tammy. "Did Dale… write a song about rocks? What will he come up with, next?"

"Please, don't encourage him…" answered Chip with sarcasm.

"Also…" continued Tammy, paying close attention. "Don't you listen some more instruments besides Dale's lute? I think I hear a second lute or maybe a guitar."

Chip didn't bother to pay more attention. "More instruments? Of course not. Only the lute and Dale singing nonsense… as usual"

"I could swear I'm hearing more strings and drums…"

Chip couldn't help to tease her friend a bit. "Oh I know! There must be some ghost musicians!"

"Ghost musicians!?" Answered Tammy with a playful grin. "Ha-ha good try, Chipper, but you believe in ghosts even less than me!

"Touché" admitted Chip.

Chip and Tammy fell silent, just as the rest of the audience, trying to find the logic behind these lyrics. Meanwhile, Dale kept jumping and spinning following the rhythm of the song that was getting close to its end.

"We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,  
We're gonna rock, rock, rock till broad daylight.  
We're gonna rock, gonna rock,  
Around the clock toniiiiiiight. "

Some final chords followed. And for a long, long second, everyone around kept silence just to make sure the song had actually come to an end. Dale was keeping a weird stance with his eyes closed, his legs split and his right arm pointing to the ceiling. Suddenly, a rain of tomatoes, lettuces, boos and boots fell upon the bard.

"Booo! Get out of here!"

"You, failure!"

"washed-up poet!"

"Worst song ever!"

And so on and so on…

"Oh so that's why everyone ordered salads..." pointed out Tammy.

It looked like Dale was used to such outbursts, as he dodged successfully everything that was thrown to him. With a nonchalant expression, he stepped down the stage and walked towards the bar to meet Chip and Tammy.

The bard greeted Chip with a big hug. "Hey Chip! Welcome back! Did you have fun at the bat cave?"

"Hello Dale!" answered Chip hugging him too. "It was great… food and dances until dawn, they were very satisfied with my proposal". With a roguish grin, the ranger added in a lower tone: "And Foxglove sends you her love. She said she will come tonight to see you, lover boy!"

Dale's eyes sparkled with this news. "Oh boy, that's great! But there no much time left… I need to write her some poems!"

Chip's expression changed to one of concern. With a sigh he put his paw on his friend's shoulder and spoke. "Dale, you know I'm very happy about you and Foxy, but I don't think her family will approve you as her fiancé… traditions are everything for them… They think that only a bat can marry another bat."

"Aww Chip don't worry… everything will end fine!" responded the ever-optimistic Dale. "Love always triumphs. We are like that english couple, Romeo and Juliet!"

"Dale, please!" interrupted Tammy, just as worried as Chip. "In first place, Romeo and Juliet were from Italy. In second place, I really hope you and Foxy end better that them, seriously!"

"Ok ok, I promise I'll be careful. But…" Dale gave them a sly look. "… What about you two? If you don't hurry up, I'll be the first of us to get married!"

The intrusive question of Dale had immediate effects on Tammy and Chip. "Get married?" They both turned and looked at each other's eyes. Chip saw the most cherished wish of Tammy coming true in her blue dreamy eyes… Tammy saw great fear in the black eyes of Chip. Fear and a terrible unspoken secret. Embarrassed, they both looked away at the same time, leaving Dale perplexed.

A long and awkward second later, Chip decided to change the topic.

"Dale, what if you rather tell us… what the heck was that song about rocks and clocks?"

"Oh that. Actually, I have no idea…" was the sincere response from Dale. "This morning I was eating breakfast and I got inspired. I wrote the lyric immediately, even though I didn't understand it. But that's what is called art. Take the poem of Beowulf, for example... who is the person who actually understands it?

Tammy finally snapped. "Dale! Don't make your musical experiments on working hours! Also… it is too much to ask to sing in french!?"

Chip fell silent watching at Dale with concern. His poor friend was becoming crazy just like him, but he was showing it off. "Dale, did you know..." Chip was interrupted again when the door of the inn opened and a well known rat guard yelled his name.

"Chip Maplewood! I knew you were here!"

"Claude!" answered Chip sarcastically. "What are you doing so far from the gate? Looking for a bed?"

"Oh shut up… The mayor is looking for you, chipmunk… your presence is required immediately at his house."

"Don't worry" Chip explained to him. "I was about to go there… no need to hurry… The sun hasn't set yet."

Claude answered with a smirk. "Somehow... I think you have a bigger problem now..."

"Umm? Why is that?" asked Chip with suspicion.

"What if I told you that an inquisitor wants to talk to you?"

Chip blanched. "The inquisition? Here?"

"Well, yeah..." answered Claude. "Thats why there are so many soldiers from Rouen here. Guess what... the priest in charge is none other than Julien Montblanc! The famous witch hunter! Can you believe it?"

"Wow" said Dale joining the conversation. "I've heard about him, Chip! People say he has divine powers! Nobody can lie in front of him!"

"Oh I'm sure that's just an exaggeration" pointed out Tammy. "He must know how to read faces, that's all. Right, Chip?"

Powers or not, Chip was deeply worried. "Yeah... right... I suppose I should go meet him right now... thanks, Claude".

Even Claude was taken aback by Chip's sudden lack of self-confidence. "Umm... yeah... yeah... you are welcome, chipmunk... goodbye!"

"Goodbye, Claude!" Replied Chip, Dale and Tammy in unison. Claude gave them an amused look while coming out of the hostel.

"Oh well" Said Chip with a sigh. "I... better go... Dale, please take care of Tammy. I'll come back later, I guess..."

"No problem, Chip!" answered Dale jokingly. "Remember, don't let him read your mind!"

That advise didn't help Chip to calm down. "Riiight…I'll be careful"

"Chip, wait!" begged Tammy, grabbing one of Chip's paws.

"Yeah? What is it, Tammy?"

"I... I was about to prepare you something for dinner..." Tammy told him with downcast eyes.

"Oh thank you very much Tammy, but..."

"I know, duty first... but please, at least take this canteen. I filled it with a drink from my mother's cooking book. It is called 'Coffee'.

"Coffee, huh?" Chip took a sip, and then another, and then another... "Hey, it's actually delicious! Thanks Tammy!"

The lovely smile returned to Tammy's face. "I'm glad you liked it! Ill make you coffee every day from now on! Oh but you must go, good luck with your meeting, Chipper!"

Chip was feeling now so energetic that he didn't worry about inquisitors anymore. "Yep! I'll be back later, take care you two!". Chip stepped out the inn, waving his paw at his friends.

After some seconds of silence, Dale was the first to speak. "Hey Tammy, can I ask you something?"

Tammy had already started to clean some mugs. "Sure Dale, what happened?"

"So then... when will you get married to Chip?"

"Dale!" exclaimed Tammy dropping a wooden mug.

"hahaha! I'm sorry I scared you! But you and Chip make such a good couple! I bet that when your parents come back they will arrange your wedding... everyone would be so happy!

"Yeah..." answered Tammy absently. "My parents would be happy, I would be happy... but I'm afraid Chip would feel miserable... and I could never let that happen". Her eyes started to water up a bit.

"Oh Tammy" Dale squeezed her paw. "Don't say that... Chip would feel so happy to be married with you. He loves you, but he just doesn't know how to express any feeling. Now, I have an idea! Why don't you declare your love to him? Tell him how you feel!"

Tammy' face became as red as a tomato. "Declare my love to him!? Are you crazy?"

"Why not?"

"You... you think love is that easy because you already got Foxglove! But for me is more complicated... or more exactly... Chip is more complicated!"

"hehe you are right about that!" responded Dale with a laughter. "Chip is a complete puzzle. Serious and grumpy as the legendary Golem of Prague! He needs to learn to relax as I do… by writing love poems!" Dale reached for some papers and immerse himself in writing.

Tammy looked at him. Dale was radiant now that he had found his Juliet. She had already found her Romeo too, but he kept running away from her. With a sigh of frustration, she decided it was time to start washing dishes.


	3. Chapter 3 - Remembrance

**Chapter 3 – Remembrance**

Chip walked down the streets with haste, dodging humans and horses in his way to the mayor's house. At that hour of the day, the market stands were already closing its business and its superstitious human owners were thinking only in one thing: get to their houses before the dusk. Nobody wanted to anger again the leprechauns of the town.

While Chip was squeezing the canteen to drink the last drops of the exotic coffee, his eyes caught a shadow flying in the evening sky. It was a raven. This time, no doubts about it. The bird flew over the ranger and for a moment looked down to him with a grin. Chip just froze in the middle of the street. Flapping his wings, the strange raven rose again in the air and made a turn to the left, towards the bell tower of the church.

"A raven!" Said Chip coming to his senses again. He quickly looked up in all directions. "Ok... calm down... It's only one... and there is no bearded one-eyed old man around, I'm still sane! Still sane..."

The memories assaulted Chip's mind. The series of events that culminated in that terrible night two years ago, when he had his fist hallucination...

After months and months of painful training under the care of Andre, the old chipmunk ranger of these woods, the day of Chip's graduation as a full-fledged ranger of Maulevrier forest finally came. The ceremony was to be held at the mayor's house on that cloudy day. Dale, Tammy and her parents were there too as witnesses. Then, a guard came inside with terrible news and everything fell apart.

"Mayor Moreau! Mayor Moreau!" Shouted Claude, interrupting the ceremony.

"Claude, Keep quiet!" Ordered the mayor to the gate keeper. "Can't you see we are busy here?"

"It's Agnes, Sir! She was attacked by a hawk!"

"What!?" shouted the mayor even more loudly. "Where is she now?"

"Oh my goodness..." muttered Elizabeth, mother of Tammy.

"We don't know..." answered the guard. "Agnes managed to escape somewhere into the woods, but she was flapping her wings in a strange way".

Moreau was completely shocked, Agnes and him were friends since childhood. "Oh God! Poor Agnes must be injured"

"Yes, she sure looked injured" comented Claude. "What do you think, Doctor Gerald?"

Gerald, the father of Tammy, hesitated a bit before answer. "Emm... well... I guess, but... I mean, there are big chances that Agnes is still alive..." Whispering, he asked her wife: "what do you think, Beth?"

"Well my dear" answered Elizabeth to him in a low voice. "It sounds to me like Agnes has a broken wing, that's not deadly per se, but we need to rescue her as soon as possible. In her state, she is defenseless! But then again, you are the doctor here, not me"

"Umm yes!" confirmed Gerald. "She must have a broken wing, we need to hurry!"

"Right!" nodded Moreau. "Andre, please! Search for her at once!"

"I'd love to, mayor Moreau..." replied old Andre leaning back on his chair. "But you know... I managed to sign my resignation before we got interrupted. I'm officially retired; Chip is the town's ranger now"

"What? Andre, come on! Chip is just a rookie!"

"Hey!" complained Chip.

Andre's expression became more serious. "A rescue is the perfect kind of mission for him, Maurice! I taught him all the tricks of the trade, so let him go save your pigeon friend! Me? I'm moving overseas to the great forests of Quebec tomorrow!"

The mayor huffed incredulous and turned back to Chip. "Is that true, Chip? Do you feel capable enough?"

"Of course!" Replied Chip proudly. "Do not worry, mayor Moreau, I'll find Agnes and bring her back safe and sound! That's my job now!"

Mayor Moreau was unimpressed. He stroked his chin and took a look around the room. For a moment, his eyes focused on Tammy and Dale. An idea came to him.

"Ok, ok..." said he glaring back to Chip. "I don't mean to blackmail you, but… If you fail, you won't only be fired, but I will also exile you from Saint Pierre for life! Understood?"

Chip's friends gasped. Andre just smiled wolfishly at the situation. "That sounds fair! Come on now, ranger boy, put on the green cloak and save that pigeon!" he said to Chip with a wink and a thumbs-up.

Chip actually felt blackmailed. "As I said…" he remarked gnashing his teeth. "I will bring Agnes back, safe and sound, and I promise it! Now 'your highness', if there is nothing else to discuss, I'll be on my way!" Chip turned around and leaved, waiting for no one.

"Come on kids and Beth" Said Gerald with a soft voice. "Let's accompany Chip to the north gate".

"Please do it, guys" said Andre. "I'll stay here and make sure Maurice doesn't grief so much".

"Just wait and see, Mr. mayor" Said Tammy enraged as she was leaving the room. "Chip will succeed this time, he is the best!"

The mayor sighed with downcast eyes. "I hope you are right, little girl".

At the gate, Chip's friends gave him some reassuring words.

"Good luck, kiddo" Said Gerald as he gave Chip a backpack with supplies. "I'm completely sure you will save that pigeon! It will be a great story to tell your parents!"

"Yeah!" added Dale. "When you return, I'll write you a song! I'll also include some dragons, if you wish!"

"Thanks Gerald, thanks Dale…"

Tammy gave him a warm hug. She was sobbing. "It's not fair, Chip! The mayor can't do this to you!"

"Come on now, my dear daughter" said Elizabeth, carrying baby Bink on her arms. "You said earlier that Chip was the best, what happened to your confidence on him?"

"Yeah, you are right, Mom… " answered the young girl wiping her tears. "I'm Sorry Chip, I know you will save Agnes, just be careful, ok?"

Chip stroked Tammy's red hair. "I will, Tammy, don't worry… I will come back and everything will be fine, I promise!" Chip gave Tammy a smile so confident that all her doubts and fears disappeared.

Elizabeth interrupted the lovely scene. "So... do you have a plan, Chip? Where will you go first?"

"Well, I made some questions to Claude and the other witnesses. By comparing the directions with a map, I found that there is an abandoned hunter's cabin near of the spot where Agnes was attacked. Easy to find from the air. My guess is that Agnes hid there to escape the hawk. The witnesses said he flew around that zone some minutes and then he left empty-handed."

"That's impressive, Chip! And it sounds so logical" exclaimed Ronald.

"You better hurry, dear" pointed out Elizabeth. "It seems like it's gonna rain soon."

"Yes, you are right! I'll be back as soon as I can. Wish me luck!"

That night was completely dark. The rain clouds were covering the whole sky. There was no moon nor stars, but thanks to his training, Chip was still able to run through the forest following the right direction. Predators were not a problem to him, as he had learned after many failed attempts how to walk through their hunting zones stealthily. He was so sure of himself and his hard learned training that he didn't felt worried when the first rain drops start to fall.

"A little rain… I can handle it!"

Suddenly, thunders boomed and lightings crossed the sky. A fierce storm fell down the earth.

"A little… storm… I can handle it!"

To be fair, it was not the first time Chip was caught in the middle of a raging storm. He just needed to keep calm and find refuge in a high spot. Looking around, he quickly spotted two burrows, one at his left and the other at his right. He decided to go right. It was a bad choice. A water and mud current came down by surprise and took him away with force, smashing him against a nearby rock. Everything went black.

Some minutes later, Chip woke up. He was lying on the grass face down, so he turned around. The rain clouds were gone and the stars were glittering up in the sky. His clothes didn't even feel soaked anymore. The place was so peaceful and quiet that Chip thought for a second to close his eyes again and just sleep there for the rest of his life. Then, his senses took notice of something: he was not alone.

Near to him was a human, an elder human with a long white beard, grey robes and a wide brimmed hat. The old man was sat against an oak tree, feeding a pair of ravens with weary eyes. No, he only had one eye. His left eyelids were covered by a patch. That made him even more frightening when he turned his gaze on Chip.

"Greetings, Chip Maplewood" said the old man with a calmed, deep voice. The ravens immediately turned their heads too.

Chip blanched. That human knew his name, it was…

"Impossible…" mumbled Chip stepping back shocked.

"What is impossible? asked the old man to him. "I've talked with chipmunks centuries before you were born, young hero"

"He also talks with ravens!" added one of his black birds.

"and with wolves, horses, snakes…" continued the other one.

"And yet you say it's impossible even though I just said your name? by the way, do you know what my name is?"

Chip trembled. "I…I guess so… a bard friend of mine sings about you sometimes… but it can't be… Odin, the wanderer?"

"Odin, the one-eyed!" exclaimed one of the ravens stretching his wings.

"Odin, the spear charger!" exclaimed the second raven.

"The all-father!"

"The high one!"

The pair of ravens enounced one title after another, with such powerful and unnatural voices that pierced through Chip's ears. The ranger knelt in pain.

"Ok I understand! Please stop!"

"Huggin, Munnin, that's enough!" ordered the old god. "That's right, little one… I'm Odin, the ancient god of these lands. Because Normandy used to belong to my vikings, as you surely know"

"Yes I know that but… how can it be you?" asked Chip standing up again. "You are supposed to be like… not real? No offense…"

Odin and his ravens got offended anyway. "Not real? Little chipmunk, do you also think wind is not real? You can't see it, but still you feel how it moves your fur and how it brings down leaves and branches… We gods are as real as the wind, since we can inspire our followers or make them tremble in fear. That makes us real enough, I'd say. I live, and I can die too"

Chip was left speechless, trying to grasp the meaning of these words. His whole concepts of reality and imagination were breaking apart inside his mind.

"Enough philosophy for now" Continued the one-eyed god. "Chip, I have been watching you since the day you were born. Just like in the days of old, I have the need of a champion to fight an evil that has invaded my lands recently. With my blessings upon you, you will be able to…"

"No, stop all of this!" exclaimed Chip out of a sudden.

"Excuse me?"

"You… you can't exist! You don't exist! " Chip's brain finally crashed. "It's me… I remember now, I was drowning myself in the flood and then I hit my head with something… That's it! My brain is hurt and now I'm hallucinating! It's so obvious!"

The hysterical reaction of Chip made Odin and his ravens glanced to one another, stunned.

"So in other words, you think you are crazy?" Odin asked, frowning slightly.

"…I must be…" answered Chip slowly, avoiding eye contact. "That's the most logical answer"

The old god shook his head with disappointment. "Well, then I guess you are really crazy, young chipmunk"

"I am?"

"You are free to think whatever you want, but beware! For the day will come when this evil that threats humans and animals alike will turn its gaze on you. Don't fear it, fight it! Because you are still my chosen one, Chip… Do as I say and I promise, your ending will be glorious! But for now… start by becoming that wounded pigeon's hero and don't let the rain or the mud stops you".

Leaning on his staff, the bearded god stood up and started to walk away. The ravens on his shoulders rose in the air flapping around him.

"Farewell, Chip Maplewood" said the god glancing at him over his shoulder. "Say hello to Bethany for me"

"Who?" asked Chip confused.

"Goodbye, be a brave hero!" Exclaimed one of the ravens, rising high in the sky.

"Goodbye, be a cunning hero!" Exclaimed the second raven, rising high in the sky.

"Goodbye, we will be watching you!" Exclaimed both of them, disappearing from Chip's sight.

Chip was now alone. The vision had finished. He sat on the grass watching at the oak, trying to comprehend what was happening to his mind. Meanwhile, a thick fog surrounded the field around him and a cold breeze started to blow. To make things worse, a strange sensation on his mouth appeared. A tastiness that remind him of that time when Dale and Tammy fooled him to eat a mud cake. Startled, he covered his mouth and coughed.

There was dirt in his mouth!

He coughed again, and again and again out of control, expelling mud and water out of nowhere. Suddenly, his clothes felt soaked and he started to have problems to breathe. Seized by fear, he fell heavily on the floor, coughing and trembling. Then, he felt a paw shaking his shoulder and heard a female voice calling his name:

"Chip! Are you ok? Wake up!"

"Cough! Eli… Cough! zabeth?"

"Wake up, Chip!" The voice begged him. " You have work to do! And two promises to keep!"

"I can't… breathe! Cough! Mud… in my mouth!"

"That's why you have to wake up now!" Said the voice with concern. "Oh I know what to do!"

An earth-shattering thunder boomed in the sky causing Chip to react. He woke up with half of his face buried in the mud, trapped in a hole that was filling itself with water very quickly. Understanding the situation, Chip started to climb up with difficulty leaning on some exposed roots. It was still raining hard; the roots and the soil were too slippery. He realized he was not gonna make it. Then, out of nowhere, someone pushed him out of the hole.

Chip turned around face up to take a deep breath and blinked. For a brief moment he saw Elizabeth, the mother of Tammy, smiling at him with a relieved expression. The next moment, there was nobody.

"I'm… completely crazy…" whispered to himself with sorrow.

Chip spent the rest of that night crouching between some roots, dreaming with ravens and long-gone vikings. The next morning he woke up sweating and with every detail of the hallucination printed in his mind. With great effort, he managed put aside the images to focus enough to stand up and continue his mission. Crazy or not, he still had promises to keep. Unfortunately, it was clear by that moment that Chip had troubles to tell reality from dreams. The ranger made his way to the hunter's cabin with one eye on the road and one eye on the sky, looking for that pair of magical ravens that have promised to watch over him.

Past that afternoon, hungry and tired, Chip finally reached the abandoned hunter's cabin. Entering through a hole in the door, Chip called for Agnes with all of his remaining strength... and the pigeon responded! There she was, just as Chip had conjectured! Poor Agnes was lying over the table at the center of the cabin, with her left wing broken and some scars on her sides. The ranger climb up immediately to attend her injuries. Agnes wasn't in conditions to fly or even walk, so he decided to stay with her some days in the cabin before trying to get back to town.

Nightmares continued to assault Chip in the following nights. Chants that he had never heard before, flocks of ravens flying over his head mocking him; Roland declaring him insane and guards coming to lock him in a dungeon cell; worse of all, Tammy and Dale turning their backs on him and walking away, disgusted . All these images, along with moans and trembles, became so frequent that at end it was Agnes who was taking care of him. Chip ended up telling her everything. The pigeon understood and agreed with him: he was crazy… but in gratitude for Chip's efforts to save her, she promised to keep the secret.

One week later, when health of them both improved enough, Chip and Agnes returned together to Saint Pierre. The mayor was so happy that rewarded Chip with a gold nugget. Back at home, Dale and Tammy assured him that Elizabeth stayed with them all the time on that stormy night. At least until they fell asleep...

Chip was walking so distracted by his memories that he didn't realize a horse was about to stomp on him.

_"Watch out, you idiot!"_ warned him a scratchy voice from inside Chip's head. Instinctively the chipmunk stopped and the horse stepped just in front of him, barely touching his nose. Scared, Chip jumped back.

- Gaaahh! What? Who? - Chip looked around in all directions, looking for the owner of the voice… but besides the horses and the humans, he was alone. The ranger even looked up to the bell tower… the raven was not there anymore.

"Ok Chip, calm down" Said the ranger to himself, with his heart still beating fast.. "That was not a raven voice in your mind, it was just your foul-mouthed conscience… I'm sane and… I think I better stop daydreaming in the middle of the street"

Trying to keep his mind blank, Chip started to walk again to the mayor's house. He never notice it, but up in a nearby roof behind of him, the raven from earlier was grinning, following the ranger with his sight.


	4. Chapter 4 - Into the trap

**Chapter 4 – Into the trap**

The first thing that caught Chip's attention when he arrived at the mayor's house was a wheeled mouse cage parked in front of the main entrance, with some musketeers standing guard, chatting and laughing loudly.

"A cage?" whispered Chip brooding. "So, they are looking for someone... who could it be?"

For a moment, Chip pictured himself inside that cage: hungry, chained and hopeless; surrounded by these soldiers and inquisitors as they send him to the pyre. He gulped. _"Nobody deserves that, nobody!"_

The soldiers at the door stopped to talk and glanced to the black-nosed chipmunk with disdain. One of them, who appeared to have a higher rank, raised his paw to make Chip to stop.

"Halt! Declare yourself, peasant!"

_"Peasant?"_ Thought Chip trying to keep calm. _"And surely you were born in Versailles palace..."_

"I'm not a peasant! I'm the ranger of this town!"

"Really?" replied the musketeer with disbelief. "If you are a ranger, where is your green cloak?"

"Laundry" answered Chip bluntly.

From Inside the house, a female voice called him. "Chip, is that you out there?"

"Yes I am, Mrs. Moreau. I'll be there in a minute; I'll just show this guard what a ranger looks like"

"Please gentlemen" ordered the voice from inside the house. "Let Chip come inside, my husband is waiting for him!"

The guards stepped aside with a grunt. Not able to abuse their authority anymore.

"Saved by the bell..." whispered Chip with a smirk to the presumptuous soldier.

"We'll meet again...peasant..." replied back the musketeer.

Once inside the house, Chip was quickly welcomed by Lilly, the wife of mayor Moreau. "Chip Maplewood! So glad you are finally here, young one!"

"I know, sorry Mrs. Moreau..." apologized Chip. "I had a problem with a horse... "

"Oh at least you weren't stomped like old uncle Russell ten years ago... he was never the same since then... anyway, please go right to the study. Maurice, Louis and the two inquisitor captains are already there."

"So our priest is also there, huh? Well, I better come in too."

Chip left Mrs. Moreau and knocked the door of the study. The door opened and a paw quickly grabbed and pushed him in. Then the same door closed loudly leaving Lilly alone in the main hall. For a second, she stood in her place fidgeting her fingers and hair. Unable to hold herself any longer, she ran to the door to try to overhear the imminent argument.

"Chip Maplewood!" scolded him the mayor. "Where had you been, boy?"

"Sorry Mr. Moreau... I had a problem with horse and..."

"Oh just like uncle Russell! Anyway... Let me introduce you to our guests... His grace Julien Montblanc and musketeer captain Patrick Lefevre"

Even without the introduction, Chip could have identified Julien Montblanc at once. That mouse was frightening. His white fur only seemed to emphasize the evil look of his red eyes, glowing like a pair of hungry braces. More than a priest, Julien looked like an executioner. A wealthy executioner. Julien was dressed with rich black robes trimmed with golden rims; jewel rings adorning his paws ostentatiously; also, he looked at everyone around him with a high dignified air. Chip immediately disliked him. The inquisitor was the complete opposite of Louis Lafontaine, the middle aged chipmunk priest who was also attending the meeting. Louis was the spiritual guide of the town, very well known for his piety and wisdom. That day, he was wearing his old grey robes and sandals, as he used to. Julien Montblanc couldn't help but stare at him with disdain.

Chip spotted the second inquisitor standing at the side of Montblanc. A purple lizard, wearing a black musketeer uniform, completed with a feathered hat. His attitude was as pretentious and dignified as his partner, with his stare just as cold and enigmatic, like if he were waiting for the right time to fall upon his victim. All in all, he was the first to step forward to greet Chip with a theatrical reverence.

"Captain Patrick Lefevre, glad to meet you, ranger Maplewood."

"So, the law enforcer of the forest is finally here..." continued Julien, staring at Chip with a twisted grin. "We are finally complete, I see. Let's start this meeting."

"Wait a moment" gestured Chip raising his paw. "Mayor Moreau, here is the peace treaty signed by Eaglewood. Mission accomplished!"

"Oh Chip! Couldn't this have waited until tomorrow?" replied the mayor a bit vexed.

"Sorry mayor" explained Chip. "But Eaglewood insisted on report tonight for duty, along with his pack of bats."

Mayor Moreau shook his head in disbelief. "I'm not still convinced... Are you sure it's a good idea to let them work here in town?"

"Of course!" assured Chip nonchalantly. "Bats are just like you and me. I'm sure we can learn to live together quite nicely. Maybe we could even marry each other someday!"

Julien coughed awkwardly. "[i]Don't expect that to happen soon, ranger. [/i] Are you finished with the local topics?"

"Yes, yes we are" said the mayor. "So, what bring you to our peaceful town, your excellence?"

"We... are hunting a witch." answered the mouse inquisitor as calmly as he could. Patrick noticed with amusement the puzzled reaction of Chip, Louis and Maurice at Julien's declaration.

"A witch?" finally replied Chip trying to keep an straight face. "Are you serious?"

"We inquisitors never lie." Continued Julien. "An evil witch is hiding in the forests of this province, and it's our holy task to find her and clean the world of her malevolence."

Chip grimaced. He already knew the meaning of these words. _"To find her and kill her, you mean."_

"I see..." whispered mayor Moreau rubbing his chin. "So how can we help you, my lords? Do you need Chip to track this witch of yours?"

"Oh nothing like that!" negated Julien. "We already hired a very talented scout, thank you very much... What we need is information... please look at this wanted poster and tell us if you recognize the witch or her accomplice".

Chip grabbed the poster and started to unroll it. "Ok, let us see this supposed witch of yours…_gasp!_"

Chip looked at the poster completely haunted. There, very well hand-drawn, was a picture of Elizabeth Squirrel labeled as a witch. Charged as guilty of attacking the inquisitorial headquarter of Paris. Next to her, the picture of his husband Roland was labeled as familiar, the technical name for a witch accomplice. The inquisitorial headquarter had been completely burned as result of the battle. Elizabeth and Roland managed to escape.

"What happens, Chip?" Priest Louis asked taking a look over the ranger's shoulder. "Oh good heavens!"

"What? what?" asked mayor Moreau taking a look too. "Oh my God! Doctor Roland and his wife!

"So they were from this town, didn't they?" declared Julien triumphant, turning to his reptilian comrade. "I told you, Patrick, I always guess right!"

"And I still don't know how you do it!" confessed Patrick with a wry smile. "But I must say... that skill of yours is very handy".

"What... what's the meaning of this?" asked Chip shocked.

Julien stared at him with his burning red eyes. "As I said before... That lady is an evil witch, she and his familiar attacked and burned our headquarters in Paris. Patrick and I, along with our soldiers, have been assigned to find her and... you know the rest... So, what were the names of these witches, again?"

"Roland and Elizabeth Squirrel, my lord" said the mayor in a low voice.

"So... Roland and Elizabeth. The town's doctor and his wife, how clever..." spoke Julien thoughtfully.

"And they have been missing from some months ago; nobody here has seen them again." Pointed out Louis. Chip continued to stare silently at the wanted poster with anger.

"I see" acknowledged the inquisitor. "So tell me, do they have any children?"

Chip reacted immediately, placing his paw over the coffee canteen. "[i]No![/i] No..." answered coldly, controlling himself. "They don't have any, your grace..." Maurice and Louis glanced at each other, but remained silent.

Julien shrugged, sardonic. "I see... what a shame. Well, never mind... We are in the right track. Ranger Maplewood, we are finished with you; please leave us."

"Yes, right..." muttered Chip absently, trying to grasp what he had just done. "If you excuse me..."

Lost in his thoughts, Chip came out of the study. Outside, Mrs. Moreau looked at him with a pitying expression. She had heard everything. "Chip, dear, I'm so sorry... are you ok?"

"I... yes, Lilly... I just need to go outside...please excuse me"

Chip went straight to the main door and rushed outside. Again, his world had been fallen to pieces. Elizabeth and Gerald, the kind couple that had given him shelter some years ago, were now a pair of witches, hunted by a psychopath priest and his soldiers. Even more, they could have turned on Tammy if it wasn't for... his lie. He had just lied to a pair of inquisitors. Did they even believe him?

When Chip was deeply pondering something, he had the bad habit of look down to the floor. That's why he never noticed the big belly that was in front of him. He collided and bumped back, falling hard on his hips. _"Ouff!"_

"Hey, watch out, mate!" scorned him a strange voice.

"Ouuu... what just happened..." Chip looked up and found himself in front of a big, wide mustached mouse, dressed in white shirt and scottish kilt, holding a piece of cheese in one paw and a gigantic sword on his back. A green fly dressed in scout uniform was posed on his right shoulder. Both of them stared at Chip with annoyance.

"You almost made me drop this fine cheese" continued the big mouse, raising the piece of cheese high in the air as if were some kind of trophy.

"That would have been a tragedy." added the little fly with a bit of sarcasm. It was the same fly from the Inn.

"I'm sorry" apologized Chip standing up and shaking off the dust. "I was walking distracted"

"Be more careful next time, little one... remember, eyes on the road!"

"Yes, yes... excuse me, please..." said Chip absently, walking by their side. [i]"Did he just call me little one?"[/i]

The Scottish mouse grunted. "These normanders have no manners"

"None at all" responded the little fly mildly.

Meanwhile, back at the mayor's house, Julien Montblanc decided it was time to finish the charade. He turned his red gaze at Maurice Moreau. "That ranger of yours… He lied to me, didn't he?"

"Oh well…" responded Moreau pulling his collar. "I suppose so… I don't know why, though…"

"So it is true then? Elizabeth Squirrel has children living here?" continued the inquisitor, leaning forward.

"Yes! Two daughters, actually" Confessed the frightened mouse mayor, trying not to watch directly at Julien's eyes.

"That's enough, Julien" intervened Louis. "Chip was just worried about the girls. She is friends with them"

"Ohh… that's not a reason to lie to the holy inquisition and their even holier hunters" said Patrick half-jokingly.

Julien turned his back on all of them, staring at the mayor portrait in the center of the wall. "Chip Maplewood… " started to talk meditative. "friend of Elizabeth's daughters...mmhh… Patrick?"

"Yes?"

"I'm afraid there has been a terrible misunderstanding between us and the ranger, could you go tell him everything is in the past? Make sure he won't have to worry about us… ever again…"

Both inquisitors smiled with wolfish grins. "Understood my brother, I'll go right away". The lizard took his leave with a reverence and went out the study at quick pace.

"Oh thanks god everything is solved now" exclaimed the mayor relieved. Louis didn't say anything. He still had some doubts about it.

"Well, It's not like if we are finished yet…" pointed out Julien faking an innocent smile. "I want to meet these girls, just to be sure they are in the path of light. Would you please, show me the way?"

Patrick didn't have to sweat to find Chip. He was walking slowly on the street, due to the shock of the recent events and the dizziness from his earlier collision.

"_Heh… there you are..._ Ranger Maplewood!"

Chip stopped and looked back at the hissing lizard. "Umm? Captain Lefevre?"

"Glad I found you, ranger! There is something important I need to tell you!"

"What is it now?" Asked Chip with irony. "The mayor turned out to be a midget werewolf?"

"hehe not at all, ranger… " answered Patrick with a sly grin. "I just wanted to tell you… I know you lied"

Chip gulped and fell silent, going quickly through his options. Fight, run, beg, lie… then, he looked around and realized something. "You… you haven't said this to anyone yet, have you?"

"Good observation skills, Maplewood" conceded the lizard. "I have a good reason… I know that Elizabeth and Roland are innocent!"

Chip opened his eyes wide. "You do? Thank goodness! But then, you must help me to prove it! We must stop your partner before he…"

"Calm down! I already know how to stop Julien, but I need your urgent help!"

"So tell me! what do you want me to do?" asked Chip eager to end the whole ordeal.

Patrick got closer to Chip and whispered on his ear. "It is not safe to talk here, friend... Let us meet in the cemetery's chapel in thirty minutes. I need to go back to the meeting or I'll be missed! Go ahead and wait for me!"

"Right!" nodded Chip convinced. "I'll go right away, don't take long!"

"I won't!" exclaimed the captain turning back to the mayor's house. "We must end this tonight, Maplewood!"

Chip turned around and started to run towards the north gate. "Thirty minutes… it will be dusk by then!"

Back at the mayor's house, all the musketeers were gathering; still talking about that weird red-nosed bard and his song about rocks. The laughter stopped when Patrick called some of them.

"six of you, come with me, bring your bows and arrows! Sir Zipper, come with us, too!"

The green fly saluted its captain and left the big Scottish mouse's shoulder.

"So, where to, captain?" asked the little fly.

Patrick answered with a evil grin. "To an execution."


	5. Chapter 5 - The illusionist

**Chapter 5 – The illusionist**

The sun finally hid beyond the horizon, leaving behind a trail of orange clouds that were soon engulfed by the darkness that came from the opposite side of the sky. A cold, cloudy night fell over Normandy.

Chip arrived at the cemetery at the exact moment when the last ray of light vanished in the horizon. Everything around him was soon absorbed by shadows. Uneasy, the chipmunk continued to walk and finally stopped at the entrance of the old, dusty and cobwebbed chapel. Up in the sky, the clouds finally move aside to allow the moon to shine with its silver light. To Chip's amazement, the shrine became eerily illuminated for some minutes, with the moonlight entering through its many crevices. Only then the ranger was able to notice the footprint stamped on the floor.

"A footprint?" whispered Chip with suspicion, "Patrick's?"

On a closer inspection, Chip realized that the shape of the footprint was a mouse's, and oddly enough, there were some ashes around it. "Ashes? Where did they come from?". Looking around, the ranger discovered more footprints, along with another mystery.

Chip's footprints were clearly printed over the dusty road, all the way from the cemetery fence to the chapel steps and its entrance. The mouse's footprints, however, started at the middle of the last step, just in front of the chapel's door. There were no previous footprints. The mouse stepped into the chapel, retreated, turned to its right and walked away, limping.

"That mouse got burned with something" whispered Chip to himself. "he must be still nearby, I better go help him…" But first, Chip glanced back for a moment to try to spot captain Lefevre. He was nowhere. The ranger proceeded then to follow the footprints, which took him further into the cemetery. After some minutes of wandering across the tombstones, Chip's ears caught a whispering voice in the air. An anguished female voice.

Behind a tombstone, Chip found her. It was a young female white mouse, sitting against a tombstone with a broom leaning next to her. At first glance, she looked like nobility, as she was wearing an elegant and expensive black silk long robe, along with a loose purple waist sash and rhinestone buckle. A somewhat oversized black cloak with hood was covering her robes and part of her face. Orange mistreated hair locks were overhanging out the hood. The girl was busy inspecting her left foot, which looked a bit burned. She was so busy, actually, that she didn't notice that the ranger was walking towards her.

As Chip got closer, he noticed that the girl was by no means in angst. She was more like vexed, gnashing her teeth and whispering fast unintelligible words as she rubbed her hurt, burned foot. She was either so concentrated or so absent that Chip was able to kneel in front of her without the girl noticing.

"Hello!" greeted Chip politely. "Can I help…"

"Golly!" yelled the orange-haired mouse, and immediately hit Chip on the face with her broom. "Get away from me!"

"Ouchhh!" Chip tried to cover himself, while he was clubbed again and again by the girl.

"Eat this, you thief!" exclaimed the young mouse, leaning on one foot.

"Wait, wait!" pleaded Chip. "I'm not a thief! I'm the ranger of this town! Please, stop hitting me!"

"A ranger?" asked the girl with suspicion, pointing the broom to Chip's neck. "Good try thief, but I'm quite sure rangers wear green cloaks all the time"

"Yes, you are right!" admitted Chip. "But mine is dirty and smelly, so I left it at home! Emm… I have the guild medallion in my pocket, does that helps?"

"Sure" nodded the hooded mouse. "Show it to me, slowly"

Chip reached his inner pocket, slowly… and took out his shiny ranger's guild medallion: A blue-red circle, crossed by a yellow lightning bolt. Gasping, the mouse immediately took off her hood, realizing with stupor she had just beaten a law-enforcer with her broom.

"Golly! I'm so sorry, sir!" she apologized, trying to explain herself. "I thought you were a common thief! You know, you walked on me so silently, and you are carrying that knife on your waist so I believed…"

But Chip had stopped to pay attention. He stopped at the moment the young mouse took off her hood and showed her face. She was… beautiful. Her blue eyes were pure and innocent; her long, mistreated, waist-length orange hair weaved with the night breeze. She wasn't wearing any makeup, but it wasn't needed at all; her beauty was completely natural. The most beautiful girl Chip had ever seen in his whole life.

And she was quite the talker.

"… so, in conclusion" said the girl. "you shouldn't had sneaked on me like that, although it was partly my fault for being so concentrated on stop the pain of my left foot and not noticing you until it was very late, so let's say we are both guilty of your beating, what do you say?"

"uh-huh…" answered Chip vacant, still distracted by the girl's blue eyes.

"Great!" exclaimed the young mouse relieved. "Now let's put this incident behind, shall we? Oh yes… what was your name again?"

"My name?" mumbled Chip, coming back to his senses and standing up. "Oh I'm Chip, Chip Maplewood! And what is your name?"

"My name is Gadget Hackwrench!" answered the girl jovially. "So, nice to meet you, Chip".

"Nice to meet you, Gadget!" said the ranger with a blush, leaning forward to shake her hand. The mouse did the same, but when she absently stepped on her left foot, a pain burst made her stumble.

"Auchh!"

"Gadget!" exclaimed Chip grabbing her paw and helping her to sit. "Please, stay there and let me help you…" The ranger took out some bandages from his belt pockets and proceeded to dress the wound.

Gadget just looked at him with curiosity. "You are too kind, Chip… thanks!"

"Please, think nothing of it!" answered Chip sheepishly. "May I ask… how did you got burned?"

"Oh… I…" Gadget stammered nervously. "…was trying something… and failed. But don't worry about me, I just need to stop walking for some days, I guess…"

Chip let out a sigh. "I wish I could offer you a place to stay but right now I have a slight… misunderstanding with the inquisition. I don't want to put you in trouble".

Gadget smiled radiantly. "Oh what a coincidence! I have a slight misunderstanding with them, too!" Then, she covered her mouth, realizing she had said too much.

"Huh? How is that?" asked Chip, baffled.

"Well…I…" her mind was creating a good excuse to tell, but suddenly stopped upon hearing what was undoubtedly the sounds of boots approaching. Chip's ears caught the sounds too, and turned back just in time to notice the black musketeer walking towards him.

"Patrick?"

"Ranger Maplewood!" exclaimed the purple lizard with a fake smile. "There you are! I have been looking for you! What are you doing here alone, in the middle of the cemetery?"

"Alone?" Chip turned towards the tombstone where some seconds ago he was talking with that beautiful mouse. There was no trace of her. Nothing. Nothing but the tombstone and the cold night breeze. Chip immediately realized what had happened and couldn't help to fall on his knees.

"No…" He whispered with tearful eyes. "Not again… please… no..."

"Again?" asked Patrick, confused. "What are you… well, it doesn't matter. We still have some business to solve, do you remember?"

Chip turned his eyes to him, still unable to say a word. So Patrick decided to continue. "Right…" the lizard said with an evil grin. "Let's finish this!" On his signal, six musketeers appeared from the shadows and surrounded Chip, bows ready to shoot. Chip was caught completely off-guard, his only option was to stand up slowly, holding up his paws and gulping.

"What… what's the meaning of this?" the ranger asked with trembling voice.

"Actually, there are many reasons" Patrick explained shaking his head. "But short story is… Julien ordered us to kill you, and that's it… so, say your prayers, chipmunk!"

Zipper, the scout fly, stepped forward. "Umm captain… I really don't want to participate on this anymore"

"Oh? And why is that, scout?" asked Patrick with disdain.

"My job is to find people, not kill them…" replied Zipper, folding his arms. "I have nothing to do here anymore… can I go back to town?"

"All right, then" answered the captain, rolling his eyes. "I see you don't have the stomach for this, little fly… go back with Julien, he may need you at the inn" The lizard waved his paw to dismiss him.

"The inn?" exclaimed Chip alarmed. "What are you planning to do there?"

"find some witches, of course…" answered the captain crossing her arms, watching at Zipper hovering away. "Or fake them, as usual!" he concluded, bursting out laughing.

"You are…" muttered Chip, gnashing his teeth. "You are monsters!" He was about to jump at Patrick, but a pair of musketeers quickly grabbed his arms. The rest of the soldiers aimed their bows to him.

"Enough!" exclaimed the lizard, losing his patience. "Archers, prepare to shoot at my command!"

"So… this is it…" thought Chip sighing and closing his eyes. "Well, at least I had a nice hallucination before dying… Gadget, I…"

"Aim!"

"Leave him alone, you bullies!" The order, spoken by a female voice, came from the sky. At once, everyone looked up, and then gasped terrified. An orange-haired witch, riding a broomstick, was flying above their heads looking back at them with fierce blue eyes.

Captain Patrick was the first to express the general astonishment. "A witch! A real witch!" he exclaimed in shock.

Chip was the only one who wasn't afraid at all. He simply could tell apart reality from dreams anymore. "Gadget is a witch?" he asked, perplexed. "And you… you can see her too?"

Obviously Patrick and his soldiers could see her perfectly, since they aimed their bows at her. "Shoot her!" ordered the captain. "Shoot that witch down!"

The arrows flew towards the mouse, but she, in a glimpse of one second, made some gestures with her fingers and muttered something. The arrows reached her… and bounced back.

"Impossible…" whispered Patrick.

At some distance from them, at the chapel steps, Zipper was flying back to town when by chance he looked back. And by chance he spotted the silhouette of the witch flying against the moon.

"What the heck is that!?" exclaimed astonished. He decided to fly back to his comrades at full speed, fearful of what will he find there.

"So…" said Gadget to the soldiers, grinning wolfishly. "You enjoy firing arrows at innocent rangers and witches… why don't you try to shoot at… them!" Gadget closed her eyes, made some hand gestures and pronounced some intelligible words. Then the terror began.

All around the horrified musketeers, hordes of ghosts rose from the depths of their tombs. Howling, shrieking and moaning. All the soldiers screamed at once.

"G-g-ghosts! They are gonna take us! Run for your lives!"

The soldiers let go Chip and ran for their lives towards the cemetery exit, dropping their weapons without looking back. Patrick had disappeared as well.

Chip ended crouching on the floor, covering his eyes from the visions. Gadget flew down to him on her broomstick, concerned about his friend. "Chip? Are you ok? You can open your eyes now"

Chip opened his eyes for a moment, but quickly closed them again when he spotted the ghosts floating around him, still groaning and howling. "And what about these ghosts!?" he asked pointing at them with lidded eyes.

"Oh they are not ghosts…" explained the witch softly. "They are only illusions. See?" Gadget snapped her fingers, and the ghosts vanished in the air. "They are gone now".

Chip looked all around before he got convinced. Then he stood up still frightened, and grabbed one of Gadget's hands making her blush. "And you…" he stuttered. "You are real? You aren't an hallucination of mine?" he chuckled. "No… You are really real!" Chip was now so happy that he didn't know what was saying anymore.

"Of course I'm real, you silly! Answered Gadget half-jokingly. "Didn't you know? You can't apply bandages to a hallucination" she pointed at her left foot, wrapped on bandages.

Chip looked at her in silence, his brain finally was understanding the whole situation. "So then… you are a witch?"

Gadget's smile disappeared from her face. Looking down, she pulled back her paw and started to float on her broomstick away from him. "That's right… I'm a witch…" she said with a regretful tone, wrapping her arms around herself. "So I suppose you are going to run away now, huh? Well ok…" she sighed and pointed to his left. "The cemetery exit is on that way"

Chip didn't answer with words. Reaching her, he gave her a warm hug. Gadget was astonished.

"Thanks for saving me, Gadget!" said the ranger with tearful eyes. "For a moment I thought…"

"Ohh you are welcome, Chip…" answered the witch, returning the hug. It had been so long since someone hugged her that she had already forgotten how did it felt. One second later, they found themselves looking to each other, and upon discovering his reflection on these blue eyes, Chip smiled. Gadget blushed, but she didn't look away. She found her reflection on these smiling black eyes. Soon they began to feel each other's heartbeats, resounding in complete harmony. Gadget realized she had found someone special. Just what Chip was realizing, too. They could have stayed like that for the whole night, if it weren't for the hissing voice that sounded behind them.

"You… witch!" exclaimed Captain Patrick with rage, coming from behind a tombstone and drawing his sword. "And you, Maplewood! You are her accomplice… her familiar! I should have known better! You demons… prepare to die! "

Patrick ran and jumped against them with his innate agility, breaking their embrace. Chip jumped back drawing his knife, and on the opposite side Gadget prepared to fight mounted on her broom and fidgeting her fingers in strange patterns. Patrick stood between them, hissing and glancing furiously from one to another. Finally, his mad gaze got fixed on Gadget.

"Patrick!" exclaimed Chip, aware of the lizard's intention. "Leave her alone! You were ordered to kill me, remember!"

"Sorry chipmunk" Patrick whispered at him with a devilish grin. "Priorities first!" With lightning speed, he threw himself against Gadget, who managed to avoid him by rising into the air on the last second. Unfortunately, Patrick had foreseen that, and propelling on the tombstone, he jumped high, directly towards the surprised witch.

"Nooo!" yelled Chip when he saw the lizard stabbing his friend.

To their astonishment, Patrick cut through the witch like if she was made of air. And indeed she was. The image of the witch disappeared, and a dumbfounded Patrick fell to the floor head-first.

Except that he didn't reach the floor. On the last second he was saved by Gadget, the real Gadget, who grabbed him by the tail and made him land on his back.

"Hold!" said the witch, weaving her fingers at him.

"Grr!" exclaimed Patrick, recovering and standing up again. "You shouldn't have done that, witch!". Chip quickly positioned himself in front of Gadget, ready to take on the lizard.

It was not necessary. To Patrick's horror, his legs stopped to respond, then his arms, then his neck and face. He just stood there, unable to speak, immobile like a statue, pointing his sword at the witch and her familiar. "mmmnnnggg…. Nnggg!" muttered with anger.

Gadget hovered on her broom towards him, and apologized humbly. "I'm so sorry, Captain… I swear I conjured this 'hold animal' spell in self-defense. But don't worry, it will only last until sunrise, then you will be back to normal."

"mmggg" was the Captain's response.

"Wow!" exclaimed Chip, sheathing his knife. "Gadget, that was impressive!"

"You think so?" asked back the witch. "You know, there are more powerful and visually amazing spells than mine… but I prefer to use these harmless illusion and restraining spells… I don't like to hurt people" she finished shaking her head, like remembering something unpleasant.

"So, if you are a witch…" Chip was thinking out loud. "That means you made… you know…"

"What? A pact?" answered the young mouse, folding her arms and raising her brow. "Well… tell me first, have you ever done something you regret the following day?"

"Sure! Many times!"

"So I have!" exclaimed the witch with a guilty grin.

Chip couldn't help but chuckle. "The important thing is that you regret it"

"I do it every day, believe me..." she replied, staring thoughtfully at the crescent moon.

For a brief moment, they kept silence. Chip had already read enough witch tales to understand his new friend's words. Also, she looked very pretty on the moonlight. Finally, Gadget turned and smiled sheepishly at him. For another brief moment, Chip imagined the rest of his life with her, but that dream broke in pieces when his sense of duty whispered his current mission: save Tammy; save her parents.

"Gadget, I'm afraind I have to go now" Chip tried to explain. "I have to save my friends back in Saint Pierre. It's full of inquisition soldiers, it's not a safe place for you… I don't want you to get hurt"

"Me?" answered Gadget concerned. "What about you? I don't want you to get hurt! If you are going to fight again, I want to be there to help you!"

This time, it was Chip who blushed red. "You want to go there with me? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! Our paths run together now… I feel like it's my destiny to be at your side, that is… if you desire so…"

Chip knew she was right. Their roads were not only running together, they were intertwined now. Destiny. "Yes!" he nodded with joy. "I desire it!" He took Gadget's paw on his own. "And I'll always protect you, be sure of that!"

The young witch giggled and tilted her head, squeezing the ranger's paw. "And I will protect you always! Be sure of that!".

A thought flashed on Chip's mind. "Now that I think about it, how will Tammy react when she meets Gadget?"

"Tammy?" Exclaimed Gadget, pulling out her hand.

"Huh? Do you know her?" asked Chip startled. _"Can she read minds, too?"_

"No…" negated Gadget with an anxious look on her eyes. "You know her… and so I knew her for a moment and… she is in a cage! She's been arrested!"

"What? Oh no!" exclaimed Chip, looking back at the town of Saint Pierre. "It has already happened? We have to save her!"

"Yes, indeed! Climb up!"

"Climb up?"

Without further explanation, Gadget grabbed Chip by his collar and sat him behind her on the broomstick. They both rise on the night sky.

"Ahhh! I'm gonna fall down!" yelled Chip, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms tightly around Gadget's waist.

"Just relax! I'm a very good pilot!"

"A very good what?"

The witch and her new friend flew at full speed to Saint Pierre, leaving behind the cemetery. Once they were off sight, Zipper left his hideout and flapped toward the motionless captain Patrick Lefevre. He poked the lizard a couple of times with a playful grin and then looked up at the night sky.

"Ha!" the fly grinned with sarcasm. "I can't wait to tell this to Monty and inquisitor Montblanc, they won't believe it! Well, maybe Montblanc will… these inquisitors believe anything!"

Waving goodbye to Patrick, Zipper put on his black hood and flew back to Saint Pierre, as fast as he could.


	6. Chapter 6 - Heritage

**Chapter 6 - Heritage**

A while before the events of the cemetery, at the exact moment of dusk, the humans of Saint Pierre locked themselves up inside their houses, in an attempt to escape from the ire of the supernatural beings that roamed the streets at night with tiny torches and mischievous intentions; The streets of Saint-Pierre are enchanted until the next sunrise.

At the rodent inn's backyard, Tammy Squirrel was busy hanging Chip's green cloak to dry. Inside, the hostel was apparently calm. A couple of customers chatting at the bar; Dale leaning on a chair focused in his rhymes; little Bink playing dolls in her room…

The young hostess looked at the orange clouds on the horizon and smiled. The twilight looked so romantic. Her mind began to drift away. Any minute now, Chip would appear through the door; then she'd run to him with a big hug, prepare him dinner and have a delightful night at his side hearing about his adventures and the people he saved. She could do that same routine every day for the rest of her life, and still she'd be so happy. Now, if she could add some kids running around the house…

Tammy was zoning out so deeply that she didn't notice the visitor that arrived from the dark side of the sky and that was calling her name for some seconds now.

"..mmy? Tammy?"

"Yes, dear?" answered the dreamy girl lost in her thoughts.

"Dear? Aww I didn't know you cared about me that much" replied Foxglove the bat, trying hard not to laugh.

"Oh Foxglove!" exclaimed Tammy shamefaced. "I'm so sorry! I was distracted!"

"Let me guess" The bat taunted her. "You were dreaming again about Chip and a bunch of children?"

"Gosh! I never should have told you that!" admitted Tammy turning around offended.

"Hahaha no, I guess you shouldn't!" exclaimed the bat, unable to hold the laugh anymore. "So, has Chip confessed to you already?"

"No…" lamented the squirrel with downcast eyes. "He hasn't done it, and I don't think he will…"

Foxglove immediately felt the pain of her friend."Oh Tammy… don't say that" she gave her friend a warm hug. "if Chip doesn't make the move, then you should! Confess to him your feelings!"

"How funny…" replied Tammy with a bitter grin. "Dale told me the same thing a while ago".

A broad smile appeared upon Foxglove's face. "That's because we are twins souls! Where is he, actually?"

"Dale? Inside the inn, sitting on a table. I think he wrote a new poem for you"

"Wow! My sweetheart is so talented! He has a lot of imagination! Then… may I come in?"

"Sure Foxy!" answered the young squirrel opening the door for her. "You don't need to ask, you are like family!"

Tammy's words were so moving that Foxglove gave her another hug. "Thanks Tammy, I'm so glad to hear that!" afterwards, the bat entered the inn, leaving Tammy alone with her thoughts again.

_"I wish Chip could write some poems to me"_ she sighed in resignation. _"Even if they were bad…"_

Inside the inn, Foxglove and Dale were having a lively chat on a table near the stage. The bat looked so happy that she seemed ready to jump over his boyfriend.

"…and now we can see each other every night, sweetie! This nocturnal guard is a great idea, of course I was the first volunteer!"

"Cool!" answered Dale with glee. "No more nocturnal raids! I knew we could live at peace with each other!"

"But darling…" replied Foxy playfully. "We met in one of these raids, remember?"

"hehe yeah! I could never forget that night! You tried to steal my lute"

"And you didn't let it go!" replied the bat. "But I think I got something better at the end, instead" Foxglove gave Dale a mischievous wink.

"Really?" asked Dale naively. "What was it?"

Dale's girlfriend smirked. "Well, obviously…"

Foxglove's flirt was cut out on mid sentence, as a group of musketeers entered marching into the building. Behind them, a mouse priest with black robes and red eyes came in, followed by Louis. The few customers at these hours went out the inn at quick pace, leaving Foxglove and Dale there to watch the incoming tragedy. At the door, the Scottish mouse stood guard.

"Oh god!" exclaimed Dale terrified, hiding behind one of Foxglove's wings. "That mouse with devil eyes must be Julien Montblanc, the inquisitor!"

"A inquisitor?" Whispered Foxy perplexed. "What is he doing here?"

"I don't know… but don't look at him directly, people says he can hypnotize you!"

"I… agree with them! I have never seen such a mad stare"

At that moment, Tammy entered crestfallen into the room, still depressed and thinking deeply on a solution for her love problem. She went directly to the sink behind the bar, not paying attention to the group of soldiers who were looking at her with curiosity. The young hostess even grabbed a mug and started to wash it taciturnly. It required a fake cough from Julien to awake Tammy from her gloomy state.

"Oh!" exclaimed Tammy, taken aback. "I'm so sorry! how can I help you? oh! hello father Louis"

Louis hesitated for a moment. "Tammy, dear… you see… this is Julien Montblanc, inquisitor…"

Tammy's eyes went wide.

"Inquisitor from Rouen" interrupted Julien with a harsh tone. "also called 'witch hunter'" added with a twisted grin. "So tell me, young girl… is Elizabeth Squirrel your mother?"

The concern for her parents betrayed the girl. "Yes, that's my mother! Do you know where she is?"

"Oh sadly no" answered the inquisitor. "But I feel like we are getting closer. Soldiers, arrest her!"

"What! Wait!"

On the act, the musketeers hold Tammy and tied her paws. Louis, Foxy and Dale gasped in astonishment. Even the big mouse standing at the door couldn't believe what was happening. A crowd started to grow outside the inn.

"Wait!" implored Tammy to the inquisitor. "Why? What have I done?"

"Julien!" exclaimed Louis placing his paw on the inquisitor's shoulder. "What are you doing? This girl isn't a witch! I know her since the day she was born!"

"We inquisitors have a rule" explained the white mouse with weary voice. "The descendants of a witch are as evil and cursed as her mother. Also… don't touch me!" The inquisitor pushed the priest's paw off his shoulder with a sudden rage.

"Are you…" Tammy's voice hissed beneath her gnashing teeth. "… calling my mother 'Witch'? How dare you! I'm gonna split you in half!" It turned out that Julien wasn't the only one with bursts of fury in that room.

Even though she had her wrists tied up, she charged forth against the mouse of red eyes, who had to step back on the last second before his soldiers were able to contain the angered girl. On her struggle, Tammy glanced up to the coat of arms and to the sword mounted upon the bar. She also remembered the fencing lessons her father had given to her. For a time like this, she thought. She had decided to try to run for the sword when a pleading, soothing voice reached to her.

"Tammy, please don't do it!" said Louis with a calmed voice. "calm down… everything will be fine, we will solve this!"

With tears on her eyes, Tammy realized the priest was right. Her plan was suicide. She didn't have any chance against so many soldiers. She stopped to fight and resigned to be arrested.

"Well said, priest Louis". Applauded Julien with disdain. "Now, Sir Monterey Jack, take this girl to the cage. The rest of you soldiers, search this house for a certain book: it's large, thick and has a dark blue leather cover."

"What?" asked Louis with suspicion. "What's all this about, exactly?"

Julien didn't answer. He walked behind the bar and grabbed one of Bink's pacifiers. He fidgeted with it for some seconds and then turned his fiery eyes to Louis.

"Stop questioning me" said Julien with a twisted smile. "Or you could make me remember I haven't met the second daughter yet!" He threw the pacifier to the awestruck priest.

"Your grace!" shouted out a soldier, coming out from the kitchen. "I think I found it!"

The musketeer came back carrying a big thick dark blue tome: Elizabeth's cooking book. The red eyes of Julien shined with triumph. "Yes! I finally found it!"

"Hey!" yelled Tammy from the entrance. "Don't touch that! Is my mother's cooking book! Put it back!"

"Silence witch…" ordered Julien bored. "Monterey, put her on the cage already… Soldiers, let get out of here"

"Yes sir!" responded the musketeers in unison.

"No! I'm not a witch!" shouted Tammy when they locked her in the wheeled cage. "And my mother is not a witch either! We are innocent!"

Louis, Foxglove and Dale came outside right after the soldiers. "You monster!" spat Dale grabbing Julien's golden and black robes. "Let her free at once! She is not a witch!"

"Enough, peasant!" replied Julien shaking off Dale's paw. Louis and Foxy hold Dale before things got worse.

"Dale, please calm down!" whispered Foxy to his ear.

"She is right" added Louis. "This is no way to help Tammy. I need you two to go and find Chip, I'm worried about him!"

Both friends looked at Louis with grave eyes. "Worried about Chip? why?" mumbled Dale.

Then, some of the musketeers that followed captain Lefevre to the cemetery arrived at the inn, yelling with terror in their eyes. "Help! help us!" They had run without stopping a single second all the way from the cemetery and a pair of soldiers fainted in front of the surprised inquisitor.

"What's the meaning of this, soldiers?"

"Your grace!" muttered one of the trembling soldiers. "Help us! It's a witch! a witch appeared at the graveyard!"

The entire crowd gasped in commotion.

"What?" shouted out Julien. "Explain yourself! And where is your captain?"

"The witch" mumbled the horrified musketeer. "The witch appeared in the air and saved that chipmunk! Captain Lefevre disappeared!"

The inquisitor let out an exasperated growl. Obviously that was not part of the plan. At his sides, the townsfolk that heard the news looked at each other silently, before running away alarmed and shouting in all directions.

"Witches! There are witches in the town!"

"And this time we are not making that up!"

"Bring the torches!"

In the middle of the chaos, Dale was trying to assimilate the news. "A witch saved the chipmunk? Said the bard to himself. "A witch saved Chip? In the cemetery?"

Louis was as astonished as Dale. "Oh lord! This is worse than I imagined!" he exclaimed, rubbing his forehead with closed eyes.

"Dale, we should go there at once!" suggested Foxglove forcing Dale back to his senses.

Inside the cage, Tammy was also very confused. "Chip… and a witch? That's impossible… witches are old hags with green skin, warts and black teeth! Chip must be bewitched! Let me go!" She shouted and shook the cage bars "I must help him!"

To make things even worse, at that moment mayor Maurice arrived with the city guard and Eaglewood, the father of Foxglove. "Your grace, Have you heard? A witch appeared on the cemetery! You have to do something!"

"Daughter!" exclaimed Eaglewood puzzled upon watching her daughter holding hands with Dale. "What are you doing here?"

"_gasp!_ Father!" Foxy stuttered. "Emm… well, I…"

Maurice got distracted for a moment watching Foxglove trying to invent an excuse to his father, and when he turned again his eyes discovered that Julien and the musketeers were starting to leave the place.

"Your grace, what are you doing? Are you leaving us?"

"Sorry mayor…" explained the inquisitor. "Our mission here is over, I have arrested the only witch I was interested in"

"I'm not a witch!" yelled Tammy from behind the bars.

"As I was telling you…" continued the inquisitor. "I already got what I was looking for. Now we must go back to Rouen as soon as possible." He looked around with a smirk and continued. "But I'm sure your guard and your new bat helpers can solve the problem. You are free to kill the witch and his slave on sight, good luck!" Julien turned his back and wave the townsfolk an uncaring goodbye.

Dale, Foxy and Tammy glanced at each other with concern.

"So you are leaving!" the mayor complained. "What kind of inquisitor are you, anyway?"

That comment sparkled the red-eyed mouse's fury. He quickly turned again to confront the mayor with mad rage. "One without time and without patience!". The mayor felt so scared that fell to the floor, and everyone around contained their breath. Glancing quickly around, Julien coughed and recovered his cold indifferent attitude. Even his soldiers were staring at him with suspicion now.

"All right…" accepted shrugging his shoulders. "Since you don't believe yourselves capable enough… Sir Monterey Jack, please come forth!"

"Right here, boss!" saluted the bulky mustachoed mouse stepping forward.

"Mayor Moreau" declared Julien slowly. "Sir Monterey Jack will stay with you as my agent to help you with your witch problem"

"Sure I will, kind folks!" exclaimed Monterey launching punches to the air. "Leave that witch to me! She and his slave have no chances at all!"

"Right…" replied Julien bothered. "Happy now, mayor?"

"Certainly your grace" answered Maurice with a reverence still scared of him. "Chief Eaglewood, can you help us looking for them on the air? we will search for these evil beings here on the streets"

"At your orders, mayor" saluted Eaglewood. "Heard that boys? It's time to hunt some witches!" He turned then to Foxglove and Dale. "Foxglove, this can be dangerous so stay with the mayor at all times. And you, young bard…"

"Yes, Mr. Eaglewood?" asked Dale gulping.

"Stay away from my daughter!"

Upon saying this, Eaglewood and the bats rose in the air. Dale was able to see how the chief bat made a gesture to him which he translated as "I'll be watching you".

"Ouuhh…" Grumbled Dale. "I think he didn't like me"

Foxglove didn't have other choice than to leave with the mayor and the rest of the guards, knowing that she was being watched from the air. But before, she gave Dale a warm smile that he returned with sadness.

"Hold these tears, boy!" Said Monterey placing his paw on Dale's shoulder. He had seen the whole scene. "Every father-in-law is overprotective, but with time they finally realize that girls are attracted to wandering minstrels. So smile! At least you have the right job!"

"You really think so, Sir?" asked Dale wiping his tears.

"Sure lad! And please, call me Monterey. Now, if you excuse me, I must take on a witch and his helper!"

"Oh yes… that…" whispered Dale downhearted again.

While the overconfident mouse was marching away, Louis came back to Dale, carrying Bink on his arms. "Come on Dale" he said with his calmed voice. "let's enter the inn, you need some rest"

"Rest?" replied the bard with sarcasm. "I cant rest now! I need to find Chip before the mayor does! or these bats! Or that mustachoed mouse on skirt! Dale was exasperated, pointing in all directions.

"Dale…" sighed Louis comprehensively, while Bink was playing with his beard. "you will never find Chip running around the town as a crazy chipmunk. On the other hand, I'm sure Chip is heading to the inn right now, worried about Tammy and you. So let's trust him and wait patiently. He will come, after all, you know that the town's guard is not very… competent…" he ended his sentence with a guilty smile.

"I guess you are right" accepted Dale, more relieved. "Ok, let's go inside… I actually could use some food…"

Monterey Jack walked towards the north gate, distracted from time to time with the smell of the leftovers that humans had thrown on the streets, as a gift for their leprechauns. He could use some food before his epic fight. He joined some young mice that were eating a well-preserved pie. They were chatting about the recent events of the town.

Two witches discovered in a single night. One of them free and surely angered for her friend's arrest, with a power so unnatural and enormous that she was able to turn a inquisitor captain into dust, along with 10 musketeers and a human that crossed her path. Her plan, obviously, was to turn everyone in town into mindless slaves, just like what she did to the poor ranger Chip Maplewood, now a zombie. It was, undoubtedly, the beginning of the end of the world, exactly as was written in the old prophecies of the Vatican. Before the next dawn, The whole town of Saint Pierre will be sucked by a vortex and transported to a dark dimension of pain.

"Are you not afraid?" The kids asked Monterey as he walked away from them and their pie.  
"Of course not!" replied the knight. "Fear? I don't know the meaning of that word, kids!"

"Even if you have to fight against a soul-stealer, shape-shifting, fire-breathing, flying witch from the underworld?"

"No! I'm not afraid, of course not! Now, it's time to sleep, kids! Go home!" The knight walked away at quick pace.

"Found ya!" shouted a voice at his back.

"Great Manchego!" Despite his weight and short legs, Monterey Jack made a jump so high that he ended up hanging on the ledge of a window. Shivering and with every hair of his body tensed.

"Monty! Are you all right?"

When Monterey Jack finally decided to open his eyes, he realized that hovering in front of him wasn't a witch, but his good friend Zipper, looking at him terribly worried.

"Zipper me pally! Good thing it was you!" he sighed relieved.

"Of course it's me! Who else could it be?" asked the scout raising his brow.

"Ah… doesn't matter" answered the Knight jumping down to the floor. "Where have you been, by the way?"

"I was at the cemetery with Patrick. We have a very big troube. Where is Montblanc?"

"Our boss? on his way back to Rouen. He arrested a witch at the inn and left town in a hurry"

"Another witch?" asked Zipper astonished. "Who?"

"The young hostess... Tammy Squirrel was her name, I think"

"The hostess? That's ridiculous!" Zipper shaked his head in disbelief. "It would had been more logical to arrest that lunatic bard!"

"I can't believe it either!" accepted Monterey shrugging. "But Julien arrested her just by watching her! Ah! he also took the cooking book from the kitchen!"

The little fly scratched his head. "Julien confiscated a cooking book? Now that's weird"

"Well, don't think so much about it, mate! We have work to do! We have been ordered to kill the witch of the cemetery and his zombie! I mean, helper!

"The witch of the cemetery? Oh I saw everything that happened there! It was amazing!"

"Really? It is true that she opened a portal to another dimension from where a horde of vampires came out to kidnap captain Lefevre and his men while she made a dinner with the soul of the ranger to make him a mindless slave?"

"Umm… nope…" answered Zipper tilting his head. "That didn't happened at all"

"Then, what the heck happened?" exclaimed Monterey, completely confused.

"I'll tell you on the way" replied the scout. "We have to come back to the inn at once! The witch and the ranger are flying towards there!"

Monterey and Zipper had just started to move when they spotted a group of people yelling with horror and pointing slack-jawed to the air.

"Crikey!" exclaimed Monterey, completely amazed. "Zipper, is that them?"

"Yep, that's them…" answered the fly darkly. "And they are being hunted already!"

Up in the night sky, Chip and Gadget were being chased closely by a cloud of angered bats!


	7. Chapter 7 - Aerial battle

**Chapter 7 – Aerial battle**

The situation couldn't be worse. Shrieking bats engaged against Chip and Gadget from all directions, trying to make them fall off the flying broom. The witch was barely dodging every assault making abrupt turns and zigzags, feints and barrel rolls. Her passenger, meanwhile, was focused in maintain himself on board while avoiding to throw up. The moment came when Chip was not able anymore of tell up and down apart, and shutting hard his eyes, he gripped even more firmly around Gadget's waist.

"Chip… I can't breathe!" notified Gadget to him, dodging another enemy by pure luck.

"Sorry, sorry!" apologized Chip loosening his hold. "But I can't take this anymore!"

"Have you never flew before?"

"Yeah! On board of wide and calm pigeons!"

"Oh don't be afraid" soothed him the witch, while dodging blindly another bat. "Flying is the coolest thing on this world! When we have more time to spare and less pursuers, I promise to teach you how to fly on brooms" she ended with a wink.

"Right, right…" answered the ranger, not very fond of the idea. "But first we need to survive this! Can't you… throw some fireballs at them or something like that?"

The witch shook her head in refusal. "No, I don't want to hurt them! Also… " she gave Chip a sheepish grin. " as a matter of fact, I never learned these offensive evocation spells". She stopped and turned right suddenly, avoiding a pair of bats that wanted to tackle her. "What if… we try to talk to them?"

"Talk to them?" echoed Chip baffled. "They want to kill us!"

"I'm quite sure this is all a misunderstanding" said the witch climbing up to pass over another furious bat. "We haven't done anything to them, so let's talk things out!"

Smiling over Chip's skeptical look, Gadget waved her paw on the direction of the bats leader. "Hello, Mr. Bat! Can you tell us why are you attacking us?"

Taken aback by that weird polite girl, Eaglewood ordered to stop the attack and flew closer to the couple. "Nothing personal, young lady" he explained with a serious face. "But we were hired as nocturnal guards of the town and we don't want to disappoint our boss on our first day… I'm right, Chip?"

Chip snorted nervously when Eaglewood turned to him. "Emm.. yeah…" he muttered. "You know Eaglewood, why don't you take this night out? It's not good to make such exertion on your first day of work"

Eaglewood grinned acidly at such comment. That chipmunk had talent for sarcasm. The bat let out a chuckle and flapped away from them. "Sorry Chip, but we already made a deal with this town… Also, we need to end the stereotype of bats aiding witches, so… get them, boys!" Upon saying this, the cloud of bats launched against the witch and her friend again. They had used these seconds of truce to position themselves above and under the flying broom. At Eaglewood's signal, they ambushed the friends off-guard. For a moment, the space around Gadget and Chip became completely dark, and the only sound they could hear were the acute shrieks of their persecutors. From the point of view of the crowd gathered in the streets, it looked like if a giant floating dark monster had opened its jaws and devoured the pair of witches. Everyone contained their breath, hoping that had been the end of that pair of evil beings.

It wasn't. Somehow, Gadget managed to cross through the pack of bats that engulfed her using every ounce of skill and quick-thinking. Eaglewood couldn't believe it. Chip neither. To find a way out of that living maze, the young mouse had to calculate the speed and trajectories of at least fifty bats. All of them moving at the same time. It was amazing. For a moment, all the bats were stunned, watching the witch fly away from their never-failing, almost perfect trap. Enraged, Eaglewood ordered them to continue the persecution.

"You won't escape, witches!" yelled Eaglewood flying fast to them.

"Come back here, you demons!" exclaimed the rest of bats.

"Demons?" replied Chip glancing at them. "Hey! I assure you the rumors about me are greatly exxagerated!"

"Better safe than sorry!" answered back the bats.

Chip breathed deeply and tried to think. "We need to escape from them now, we are flying away from the inn" Then, a bright idea occurred to him. "Hey, Gadget!"

"Yes, Chip?" answered the witch, focused in maneuver across roofs and chimneys to fool their pursuers.

"Since you are an illusionist… can you turn us invisible?

"Sure I can! But that wouldn't work against them, you see…" explained Gadget absently. " Even if our bodies become transparent, the bats could still see us because of their sense of echolocation: their biological sonar. Because you know… bats use the pulses of high-frequency sounds in their shrieks to sense the surrounding objects. Their echoes bounce back from surfaces and they use that information to construct three-dimensional images of their surroundings and objectives."

Chip's mind was blown. "Umm… what?" asked stuttering, amazed at Gadget's ability to explain unfathomable things while dodging a horde of enraged bats.

"Just trust me, that wouldn't work!" answered Gadget. "However…" A radiant smile appeared on her. "I have an idea!"

The mouse sank her paw into her cloak. A curious effect happened, at least from Chip's point of view: The paw disappeared in the cloak, and Gadget was perfectly normal about that.

"Gustav?" she called to someone. "My grimoire, please." To Chip's astonishment, Gadget pulled out a large thick dark blue book from inside her weaving silk cloak. "How did you do that?" asked the chipmunk, when suddenly, a bat managed to grab Chip out of the flying stick.

"Hey! Wait!"

"Golly! I got distracted!"

"One demon… less! Shouted the bat throwing Chip hard to the street below.

"Gadgeeeet!"

"Chip! Hold on!" Gagdet put her book back in her cloak and swooped towards Chip. Unfortunately, the bats took notice and pushed their charge on her even more, forcing the witch to take evasive actions that made her lose valuable seconds. She wasn't gonna make it.

On the ground, the mob of townsfolk were stunned, watching Chip falling fast to the city square and the bats attacking the witch that was flying to him with despair.

"She is gonna make it…" whispered Foxglove, taking off the ground to save his friend, when something strange made her gasp in surprise, just as the rest of the people there.

Chip had started to fall more slowly than normal, almost like a feather. At the same time, the moon flashed with a silver bright and some wolves howled on the distance. Utterly confused, the bats stopped their attack.

"Zipper, do you see that? Do you hear wolves?" asked Monterey astonished.

"Incredible!" answered the little fly agape. "The witch must be helping him!"

Actually, Gadget was as stunned as everyone else, but she managed to compose herself enough to keep descending and stretch her arm to Chip.

Chip, meanwhile, was in trance. He was hearing ancient drums and horns, forgotten chants and a grave voice that said "Not yet, hero". His eyes were fixed in the pair of luminous ravens that were flying in circles above him, unnoticed by Gadget and the bats..

_"These ravens… these chants… I'm dead?"_ Thought Chip with bitterness.

"Chip! Wake up!" implored Gadget to him. "You are not dead yet!"

The witch's words broke the trance. With a deep breath, Chip reacted and quickly stretched his arm towards her flying friend. Their paws grabbed each other and rose again into the air, to land on the nearest roof.

The bats stared at them on the distance, still trying to comprehend what had just happened to that chipmunk. "That…" exclaimed one of them. "that didn't felt like black magic!"

"No…" negated the leader of the bats, astonished. "I heard some chants and horns, it was more like…"

"Divine help?" suggested a third bat. Eaglewood shuddered. The rest of the bats turned to see each other, bewildered.

Chip and Gadget landed on the roof above the mayor's house. Chip was still so stunned that his legs refused to respond and he fell on his knees, shivering.

Gadget, on the other hand, was ecstatic. "Wow Chip! That was amazing!" she exclaimed with her eyes shining. "A time and space alteration spell! I had only read about them! Gifts from ancient gods! Although I think you need more practice, you struggled to get out of your trance. Good thing I was there!"

Chip stood up with some problems, baffled by what his companion had just said. "What… what are you talking about? He asked nervously. "I didn't use any spell. It wasn't you?"

Gadget looked at him quizzically. "Oh no… I'm bound to use black magic". She tried to explain herself and her expression became pained. "Black magic doesn't save anyone… it only hurts and confuses. Actually, I always try not to…"

"Gadget, look out!"

Chip reacted just in time to jump and save Gadget from the fangs of the pair of bats that charged towards her. Rolling aside embraced, they stood up together and watched the pack of bats flying around them, like a dark, living and angered hurricane. The view at street level was impressive.

"Chip Maplewood!" shouted Eaglewood just above them. "I see you are a special one, kid… I want to offer you a deal. Hand over that evil witch to us and you will be spared! There is still hope for you!"

"Hand her over?" replied Chip defiantly. "And let you torture and burn her? Never! She is my friend and I sworn to protect her!" To prove his stance, the ranger held the witch's paw in his own.

Eaglewood couldn't understand such stubbornness. Chip didn't appear to be bewitched and even so he was defending that witch… Although it was true that she had saved him from dying… Perhaps that witch was a good person? No… impossible!

"All right!" declared the leader of the bats. "We'll finish you along with her, then! Bats, no mercy on them!" The living hurricane started to gain speed around the ranger and the witch. Chip took a step forward, thinking on a way to escape, when Gadget walked in front of him with a confident smile.

"Don't worry Chip!" said the witch glancing at him, holding firmly her book. "I've found the perfect spell to end this situation!" At her command, the grimoire floated in front of her and its pages started to turn madly, stopping suddenly at the required spell named 'Silence zone'".

Immediately, Gadget started to whisper the enchant weaving her paws in fixed patterns. Chip noticed in amazement how black threads started to appear beneath her fingers as the magic spell gained power. Above them, the cloud of bats didn't lose any time. As soon as they felt the witch was conjuring a spell, all of them bats fell over her shrieking with rage. Chip unsheathed his knife and stood in front of Gadget to protect her (exactly how, he didn't know). On the last second, when the bats were so close that Chip could feel their breath, Gadget raised her arms and pronounced the last word of the spell: "Silence!"

On the act, she threw herself to the floor covering Chip with her arms. They rolled together away from the bats, who stopped to shriek and started to stumble on each other. Gadget's spell had worked. They were mute, and for a bat, that's the same as being blind. They fell off from the sky, terrified but unable to yell, landing awkwardly on the nearby roofs. Eaglewood had to admit it while falling down blinded… the young witch had defeated them single handely.

Chip opened his eyes, at the first thing he saw was Gadget watching at him with her lively blue eyes and her long orange hair falling over him. He smiled back, and opened his mouth to say something nice to her. Unfortunately, the words didn't come out. He tried again, nothing happened. Gadget giggled and sat at his side. Chip sat as well and tried to yell. Nothing. Then, he turned to Gadget with a pleading face.

"Ok" nodded Gadget patting his tuft. "Let me use this spell on you, so you won't have to wait until sunrise" The girl placed her paw over Chip's mouth, and whispered a quick enchant. "Dispel!".

And just like that, Chip's voice returned. "Do… do… do re mi fa sol! Yes, it worked! Phew… I was scared for a moment!"

Gadget just chuckled.

"What's so funny?" asked Chip with a smirk.

"Oh nothing…" answered the witch blushing. "Just… thanks for stand in front of me…". She leaned and kiss him on his cheek. Chip immediately felt like floating in heaven. Even though Gadget was a witch, her kiss was still innocent, warm and gentle. More than ever, the ranger felt the desire to protect her from any harm, but she was already in a serious problem. How could he save her? Infinite happiness along with infinite despair took over Chip's heart.

"You are welcome" He said finally, trying to hide his feelings.

Up in the air, a bat that had just arrived was spying on them, refusing to believe what her echolocation was telling her about Chip.

"How could you, Chip…" whispered Foxglove with sadness. At first, she didn't wanted to accept that his friend was in league with an evil witch, but now… not only he had protected her, but he had allowed her to hurt Foxglove's father and clan. The same clan Chip had feasted with just one night before. And above all that, the beating from his heart was a sign of… "Chip… just what are you doing?"

"We better hurry up" suggested Gadget standing up and picking her broomstick and grimoire. "I'm not sure how long my silence spell will last in these bats"

"mmhh?" replied Chip turning to see Eaglewood, who was resting on the same roof as them, along with some other bats. "didn't you say the spell last until sunrise?"

"Not with them…" explained the witch. "Bats have a certain magic resistance. Spells cast on them tend to dispel earlier. My theory is that they developed that resistance while working along human witches as their usually chosen familiars. That magic resistance has passed on them generation after generation."

"Interesting!" Chip rubbed his chin. "So that means Foxglove…"

"Who?" asked Gadget, tilting her head.

"Me, of course!" whispered the pink bat above them, unnoticed.

"My best friend's girlfriend" answered Chip. "Well, it doesn't matter, we better leave"

"Right!" answered Gadget, throwing her book into her cloak. Chip could swear he saw a tentacle grabbing the book and pulling it inside, but he decided not to ask more questions. 'because Magic' was the best answer that night. Also, he had other more important detail to attend.

"Say Gadget, invisibility will work now?"

Foxglove raised her brow. "Invisibility?"

"Well, it should now!" answered Gadget.

"Come then" He said with a wink. "I have an idea to end this crazy chase".

Chip and Gadget walked to the edge of the roof and glanced down to the expectant crowd.

"Look!" exclaimed one of the neighbors. "On the roof! The witch!"

"And that ranger is with her!"

"Burn them! Burn them both!"

"What are these evil beings planning to do now?" asked Monterey.

"Who knows…" shrugged Zipper. "But they already defeated a whole clan of bats, are you sure you want to fight against them?"

"Yeah!" answered the big mouse. "Look at what I just bought!" Monterey pulled a necklace made of crystals off his shirt. "Amulets!"

"Oh please!" replied Zipper annoyed. "Stop wasting our money like that!"

On the roof, Chip addressed the crowd. "People of Saint Pierre!". The crowd gasped in response. "Thanks for your hospitality!" Gadget let out a chuckle. "But we are ready to leave this place and return to… Ireland! "

Monterey huffed. "Oh thank goodness he didn't say Scotland!"

"No offense" continued Chip. "But we do not expect to come back here ever again! Goodbye!"

And with a poof, Gadget and Chip disappeared. "Oh God! exclaimed mayor Moreau. "I can't see them anymore, they are really gone!" Then, he raised his arms in triumph. "People, we are saved!"

"Hurrah!" exclaimed the townsfolk relieved. Monterey and Zipper glanced at each other in disbelief.

"What do you mean they are gone?" complained Foxglove. "They are still in front of you, people!" Then, she realized the trick. "Oh yeah, invisibility… well played, Chip…" she grinned. "But useless against me! I'll get your witch for what she did, but first…"

After Chip and Gadget mounted on their broomstick and take off the roof, the pink bat landed where her father and fellow bats were laying still stunned by the silence spell. "Father, are you ok?"

Eaglewood shook his head and pointed to his mouth.

"Oh thanks god you are ok!" she said wipping her forehead. "Do not worry, I heard the witch saying that the spell will disappear soon, so please, calm down and stay here, I will capture that witch for you!"

Eaglewood grabbed her by the shoulder with a frightened expression. Foxglove just smiled.

"I'll be all right! The witch said we have a resistance against magic. I'll take her by surprise; she doesn't expect another bat coming at her!"

Eaglewood huffed, but at the end he nodded in approval.

Foxglove turned back to take off, when a naughty idea occurred to her.

"Oh and…" Foxglove gave her father a smug grin. "Maybe this is not a good moment to tell you… but remember Dale, the bard? Well, I have been dating him for months!"

Eaglewood's jaw fell to the floor.

"Aaaand… we are going to get married next year! You don't have any objections, right?" Foxglove quickly turned around to avoid watch her father, who was jumping from one side to another trying to yell a "yes! Are you crazy? I forbid it!" but his voice refused to come out.

Foxglove turned to him with a wide smile. "No objections, right? That's great, dad! Now, stay here and get used to these news, your daughter has a business to attend with a certain witch!"

"After that… I will find a way to rescue Tammy!" she said to herself, raising into the air. With her senses, she quickly found the pair of witches riding a broomstick. "Oh no, they are flying towards the inn! Dale and Bink are still there!"

Down at the streets, the mayor was trying to make the people to put down their torches and forks. "Ok dear friends, the show is over! Everyone return to their houses!"

"Sorry mayor" said one of the citizens. "But I think my family and I will sleep inside the church tonight… just in case…"

"We too!"

"And we!"

Only Zipper was still looking at the roof of the town's hall. It was then when he spotted a pink bat flying fast off the roof, like if she were pursuing someone.

"Monty! Look up there!" exclaimed the little fly pointing at Foxglove. "Do you think that…"

"She knows something!" concluded the knight. "Come Zip, let's follow her! We may still be the heroes of this tale"

Both friends started to run after Foxglove, in the direction of the town's inn.

"Heroes, eh?" smirked the little fly. "You know… maybe we should rescue that poor hostess after we are done here"

"Rescue her?" asked Monterey, puzzled. "When have you heard that a hero rescues a witch?"

"She didn't look like a witch to me… " answered Zipper thoughtful. "I think our boss has made a terrible mistake"

"Eh… maybe he did" Monterey admitted, remembering the scene from earlier. "All right, mate, you convinced me. Once we are back to our squad, we will see what can we do to help that poor girl! It's a promise!"


	8. Chapter 8 - A team of light and shadows

**Chapter 8 - A team of light and shadows**

Flying between the buildings as invisible as a gentle breeze, the wanted witch and her passenger made their way towards the inn. Below them, the rodent families were marching as fast as they could in the opposite direction to the town's church, in the belief that no witch would dare enter there. It was all the better for our two heroes, who now could spend a few moments of tranquility. In fact, Chip was so silent that Gadget started to worry.

"Chip? Are you still with me?" the voice of Gadget sounded in the air.

"Umm? Oh yes… I'm still here" responded the voice of Chip vacantly.

"You are very silent" noticed Gadget with concern. "Is everything all right?"

"Oh yes…" apologized Chip. "is just that… flying like this, without watching my body… is amazing! I feel like a bird! A spirit! I feel so free! Like if I could extend my arms and rise to the stars… of course I won't do it because I would fall again off the broom, but still…"

"It's the coolest thing ever, right?" the voice of Gadget echoed lively, and Chip could almost imagine her smiling. Suddenly, he felt how the witch's paw squeezed his own, and couldn´t help but blush timidly. Right behind them, on the distance, Foxglove felt the sudden rise on the ranger's heartbeats and arched her brow puzzled.

Gadget continued. "You know… four hundred years from now, people will fly from one country to another and that will be completely normal. They won't use magic at all, but noisy and gigantic flying machines in the shape of birds"

"For real? How do you know that?" asked Chip baffled, unable to imagine such machine.

Gadget sighed with sorrow. "To know it is my curse". She then fell silent and stopped holding Chip's paw.

Perplexed, Chip tried to comprehend the meaning of such words. "Knowledge is a curse?" It wasn't the first time his friend talked with such regretful tone, but she seemed reluctant to explain herself. _It must be the pact she mentioned_ concluded Chip grimly. He quickly recounted mentally every tale he knew about that subject. None of them had a happy ending. And now, he could feel his friend's silent depression. Unfortunately, he was too serious himself to try to cheer up anyone; that had always been his friend Dale's job. _If only I could say something…_

Suddenly, Gadget broke his silence, while squeezing Chip's paw again. "Hey! What you said to the bats leader" she giggled. "Was real funny! I could never make up such clever reply"

"Oh you think so?" answered Chip sheepishly. "I don't know why I said it… I guess I'm very sarcastic sometimes"

"Well, you do have talent for sarcasm. Never change, Chip!"

"I won't! Thanks Gadget!"

_Incredible!_ realized the ranger. _She was supposedly the depressed one and still she ended cheering me up! I… really need to save this girl of whatever is troubling her! Well, after rescuing Tammy, of course…_

"Oh Chip!" Gadget spoke breaking Chip's thoughts. "Is that the inn?"

"Yes, that's it! But… where is that inquisitor, is he gone already? We better check the place stealthily "

Right behind them, Foxglove flapped with all her strenght. "Oh no! They already got to the inn! I have to save Dale!"

Inside the inn, Dale and Louis were busy trying to make Bink to sleep. The baby girl was still very active, so the old chipmunk priest swung her soothingly while the bard played a slow lullaby to her. The gentle melody worked and Bink was soon resting peacefully. The adults came out her room in silence.

"I envy her" said Dale downcast. "She is able to sleep without any concern. Me, on the other hand, am as troubled as to suffer insomnia for a week!"

"Really?" replied the priest. "What is bothering you, exactly?"

Dale turned incredulous to Louis, like expecting he were joking. No; the old priest was staring serious at him, waiting for his response. "What's bothering me? Are you serious?" Dale exploded. "Where do I start… Tammy was arrested by a sadistic inquisitor, Foxglove's father doesn't like me, a witch is out there attacking the town and Chip has disappeared! All in a single night! My life's worst night ever!"

Louis felt such pity for the young bard. "Oh Dale" he spoke kindly. "Everything you have told me has a solution. Now, please sit down and think thoroughly what I'm going to ask you… What do you want to do now?"

"What do I want to do?" Dale closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "I want… I want to rescue Tammy!" he finally declared, opening his eyes defiantly. "She is not a witch! They can't take her away chained like that!"

Louis nodded approvingly. "That's a good choice, but you will need help".

"Yeah…" admitted Dale downhearted. "I only know how to write poems and songs. I'm not a fighter like Chip. Even Tammy beats me in fencing. Gosh, What can I do?" The poor chipmunk hide his face behind his paws.

Louis was about to say something when the inn's main door wide opened violently. By itself.

"Tammy, Dale!" The distressed voice of Chip sounded in the air.

Louis and Dale froze astonished on their seats.

"Dale!" exclaimed the voice. "You are safe! Tell me, where is Tammy?" The chairs began to move aside, like if something were making his way towards the terrified bard.

"Good Lord!" muttered Louis, standing and stepping back.

Dale blanched. "Oh God! It's a ghost! Chip's ghost!"

"Ghost?" repeated the voice. "Oh no, you mean that…"

"Yes, we are still invisible, remember?" explained a cheerful female voice that Dale couldn't recognize.

A finger snap was heard, and almost immediately, the figures of Chip and Gadget reappeared. Chip just in front of Dale and Gadget standing at the open door.

"Wowie Zowie…" said Dale awestruck. "Chip? Is that you? Yes, it is you!" the bard was so happy that he hugged his friend and tackled him to the floor.

"Of course is me!" answered Chip with a smug grin, hugging back his friend. "What? You thought I was a ghost?"

"How couldn't I? You charged in here opening doors and pushing chairs aside!"

"You dummy! A ghost would do this?" the ranger squeezed his friend strongly.

"Uff! I guess not!" gasped the bard.

From the door, Gadget observed the pair of friends with curiosity. So happy to see each other again. Just like a family. _Just like my own family many years ago_ She recalled with melancholy, stroking her silk cloak. _Before the greed…_ Suddenly, she noticed that someone had his stare fixed on her.

Louis, the old priest was silent and breathing heavily, trying to comprehend what was he looking at. Who was she? An innocent girl? An evil witch? Could she be both? With his mind's eye, he was able to see clearly how the soul of that girl was split in two. That girl had signed a pact with a demon, no doubt about it. A cold shiver ran down the priest's back.

"Chip" commented Louis keeping his stare on the witch. "Are you not going to introduce us to your new friend?"

Dale turned to where Louis was looking. He hadn't notice the girl on black standing at the hostel's door. "Wow!" exclaimed leaping back in horror. "It's the witch! Chip, do something!"

"No, wait!" begged Chip standing up too. To the surprise of the bard and the priest, he stepped back next to her.

"Chip? What are you doing?" asked Dale.

"Friends, this is Gadget Hackwrench" said Chip solemnly. "She saved me from the inquisition soldiers that ambushed me on the cemetery"

"So, it was true that a witch saved you?" asked Dale trying hard to understand.

"But, how could she save you? She is a witch!" replied priest Louis.

Chip got offended. "Louis! that's not fair!"

"You are right, I'm sorry" apologized Louis. He walked towards Gadget and offered his paw to her. "My name is Louis Lafontaine, young lady. Thanks for saving our friend Chip"

Gadget hesitated for a second, but finally she shook the priest's paw.

"Nice to meet you, father Louis. I… Auchh!" Gadget quickly pulled out her paw, burned and shedding ashes out of the palm.

"Oh my girl, you really have a problem" concluded Louis thoughtful.

"Gadget!" shouted Chip taking her away from Louis. "Are you all right?"

"No problem" smiled the girl bitterly. "I had to try"

Chip glared furious to the priest. "Louis! You did this on purpose, didn't you?"

"Sorry Chip" answered the priest holding his ground. "But I had to prove my point. Your friend is evil, her soul is corrupted. She signed a pact, didn't she? What was your wish, girl?"

"I… I…" Gadget couldn't find the words.

"Louis, that's enough!" ordered Chip. "I don't care about pacts or wishes. She saved me and I trust her! She is still a good person, I feel it!"

"That's right, father Louis!" said Dale, walking towards Gadget. "That wasn't very nice of you. Also, how many times have you called me "little devil"? Gadget looks like a good and troubled person to me. If Chip trust her, I trust her!"

Dale greeted Gadget with his customary optimistic smile. "Thanks for saving Chip! My name is Dale Oakmont. Nice to meet you, Gadget!"

"Nice to meet you too, Dale!" answered Gadget smiling again. "Thanks for your kind words!"

Louis huffed and turned around to think calmly. He wasn't sure how to feel about this whole situation. Maybe he had been too harsh. That girl needed help, not judgment. But he had been taught to believe witches were beyond salvation, or weren't they?

Louis sighed wearily and whispered a quick prayer. _Good lord, what should I do? Give me a sign, please!_

And the sign came in crashing through the door. In the form of a pink female bat.

"You witch!" shouted out Foxglove from the door, pointing to Gadget with rage. "Get away from my boyfriend!" Then, she lashed out at the astonished mouse. Gadget just had time to cover herself.

"Foxy! Wait!" exclaimed Dale, holding his girlfriend back just in time.

"Foxglove, please calm yourself! Begged Chip, standing between her and Gadget.

"I'm not going to do that!" yelled the bat. "Let me go! If we give her time she will bewitch us all! Like what she did to my father and clan!"

"I'm very sorry about that!" apologized Gadget. "We tried to talk to them first, believe me!"

"Even so!" continued Foxglove. "And you, Chip, how could you fall in love with her!"

"What?" stuttered Chip red as a tomato. "That's… that's… not true!"

"Yes it is! Your heartbeats doesn't lie!"

"Golly Chip!" exclaimed Gadget looking away, fidgeting with her hair. "I feel so flattered. Do you want our wedding to be held soon? Because I still want to travel to America, you know?"

"Wedding?" exclaimed all in unison. Dale even let go Foxglove, out of surprise.

"For god's sake! is that true, boy?" asked Louis angered. "Do you realize what you want to do?"

"Louis, I…" Chip tried to explain himself and then turned to Gadget, who was walking absently towards the window and was talking more to herself than to them.

"Actually, I wish we could get married on Cologne, my hometown. San Sebastian's church is beautiful! Although I can't step inside, of course… maybe we could make the ceremony on the garden outside… And how many kids do you want to have? Well, we are different species so we can't have kids of our own, but we can always adopt! Eight or ten sounds good to you? But you will have to take care of them, because my dream is to have a workshop and build ships! That would keep me occupied the whole day! And… do you know how to cook? Because I don't…"

"Please, that's enough!" Yelled Foxglove covering her ears. "Stop this, Chip!" the bat flew to the ranger and grabbed his shoulders. "Wake up already and help me save Tammy!"

"Save Tammy?" replied Chip grinning. "That's exactly why I'm here!"

"You are?"

"Sure! And I'm gonna need your help Foxy, and Dale's too!"

"Count with me, Chipper!" confirmed Dale winking. "One more hour just standing around here and I would have turned crazy!"

"You… you are going with him, cutie?"

"Come on, Foxy!" Chip invited the bat. "The four of us can save Tammy from these corrupted inquisitors!"

"Four of us?" whispered Foxy confused. "You mean… the witch is coming too?"

"Yes she is." Nodded Chip. "Right, Gadget?"

"Of course I'm coming too!" confirmed the young mouse. "We are friends, aren't we?"

"Can I protest about this?" interrupted Louis. "If you get near to Julien Montblanc with a witch at your side…"

"Sadly, father Louis…" admitted Foxglove wanly. "I'm afraid she is our only chance. I have seen what this witch can do and I must say… that red-eyed inquisitor is the one who has to worry now. So... I will put up with this for Tammy's sake"

"So it's decided!" applauded Dale. "Let's get our friend back now!"

"Right!" seconded Chip. "Just let me get my cloak, bow and arrows. Meanwhile, fill the backpacks with supplies from the kitchen". Chip left his friends for a moment and went upstairs, then down to the backyard.

Dale, Gadget and Foxglove proceeded to fill the backpacks. Louis had no choice but to help them. Foxglove glanced from time to time to the witch. "Let me put this clear, witch…" the bat whispered. "I still don't trust you! I'll be watching you closely all the time, so don't even think on putting a spell on my Dale!"

"Oh don't worry about me" whispered Gadget back. "I would never betray any of you, I'm not that kind of witch".

That answer didn't help to put Foxglove (or Louis) at ease. They even shared the same concern on their minds. _That kind of witch? Is there more than one kind?_

A minute later, Chip came back with his green cloak on and his bow and arrows fastened to his back. He didn't look too comfortable, though.

"Emm Chip" pointed out Dale. "Your cloak is still wet".

"Yeah, I know…" answered Chip squeezing out the borders.

"So… why don't you leave it and pick it up later?"

Chip didn't answer. His expression became pained out of a sudden. He turned his back on his friends and finished to adjust his cloak and carcaj on his back.

"Chip?" asked Dale again.

"Dale, he can't come back" explained Louis. "The inquisition has seen him along with that witch. They even tried to kill him once. Tomorrow his face will appear in wanted posters here and all around Normandy. He is a criminal now"

"What?" exclaimed Dale taken aback. "That can't be true! Chip, tell me it's not true! You can't abandon us like that!"

Foxglove embraced Dale gently. "Dale, sweetie, I fear what Louis said is true… Chip is as wanted as that witch now… Even my father wants to hunt him down. He has to flee this place... as soon as posible"

"Sorry Dale" said the ranger slowly, without turning to face him. "Is just as Louis and Foxy said. If I stay here I will put you, Tammy and Bink in danger. I could never forgive myself. I will rescue Tammy, yes… and then I will leave this town"

"That's… not fair…" replied Dale, burying his face on Foxglove's shoulder and starting to sob.

Chip turned heartbroken to see their friends. Foxglove was patting Dale gently trying to comforting him; Gadget was staring down, blaming herself for the situation and Louis was looking away, deep in his thoughts and whispering some prayers. They wouldn't be able to save Tammy that way. For the sake of her, and all his friends, he had to say something.

"I know it's not fair, Dale…" Chip started apologizing, but word after word his expression became as determined and cunning as a little fox. "Nothing has been fair tonight, but I promise you that we will fix all of this together! One problem at the time! We will rescue Tammy first, then we will find a solution to my problem, what do you say?"

His friends cheered up watching Chip's sly grin again. "You are right… "answered Dale swiping his tears. "One problem at the time…"

"One problem at the time, sweety!" repeated Foxglove giving a strong hug to Dale. "And we will solve everything some day!"

"Yeah!" added Gadget placing her paw on Chip's shoulder. "Because nothing is impossible!"

Louis was impressed with the way Chip encouraged himself and his friends in a few seconds. He was a innate leader, no doubt about it. "I must apologize to all of you" admitted the priest ashamed. "I lost sight of what was the most important here… to save Tammy. What Julien did was plain cruel. Please, rescue Tammy from him"

"Rest assured Louis, we will do it!" said Chip decisively. "Let's go friends! We must catch up with these inquisitors before the night ends!"


	9. Chapter 9 - Tiger and fox

**Chapter 9 – Tiger and fox**

Chip and his far-fetched rescue party came out the inn in high spirits. All they needed now was a good plan, and Chip's quick mind already had one made up.

"Ok everyone" the ranger briefed his friends. "This is what we are going to do. We will approach them from the air. Dale, you have been carried by Foxglove before, so this will be no different. Gadget and me will fly on her broom. We will outrun them and distract them with some illusions while you two rescue Tammy in the impending chaos, any questions?"

"Yep! I have one!" commented Dale raising his paw.

"What is it?"

"So then... have you ridden a broom?" Dale asked ecstatic. "I want to ride too!"

Foxglove pulled his boyfriend's ear. "Oh no you don't! If someone watches you flying on that broom you will end up burning on a stake! Oh... no offense, guys" she shrugged sheepishly looking at Chip and Gadget.

"Never mind" answered Gadget waving her paw dismissively. "I'm used to it"

"And I'll get used to it, I suppose" added Chip with sarcasm.

"Speaking of brooms..." asked Gadget glancing all around. "Have you seen mine?"

"Huh? Weren't you carrying it?"

"No..." answered the witch scratching her head in confusion. "I left it here outside because I thought it would be rude to enter the house with a broom..."

"Oi young lady!" exclaimed a foreign voice behind them. "Are you looking for this?"

The burly and mustachoed knight with scottish attire named Monterey came out from the shadows followed by his trusty comrade Zipper, the scout fly. Both of them were grinning wolfishly, ready to carry out their mission. Monterey extended his arm offering the broom to the witch.

"That's my broom exactly! Thank you very much, my lord!" Gadget advanced naively towards Monterey, but Dale soon grabbed her by the shoulders. "Gadget, wait! That mouse is one of Julien's soldiers!"

Monterey recognized immediately the flamboyant red bard. "Hey... you are that minstrel who is despised by his bat father-in-law! What are you doing hanging around with this evil witch?"

"Ha!" Zipper sneered. "I knew he was involved somehow!"

"And you, young bat lady" Monterey turned to Foxglove, who froze on her place. "You are the daughter of that over-protective bat! Are you friends with this witch too?"

"Emm... well, you know..." Foxy stuttered trying to explain herself, even though she was not totally convinced of her own actions.

Chip interrupted the questioning, stepping forward with a fiery look aware that they have been discovered. "Yes, we are friends! And we are on our way to save our friend, Tammy Squirrel! Any problem with that, officer?"

Monterey and Zipper looked at each other, puzzled by that response. "Tammy Squirrel, the hostess?" asked the scout.

"That's right!" confirmed Dale. "Your boss made a terrible mistake arresting her!"

"Whoa, whoa!" exclaimed the little fly gesturing them to slow down. "Wait a minute! We also want to help that girl! Right Monty?"

"Well, certainly but..." replied the big mouse hesitant.

"Please good knight, you saw had happened there" Foxglove pleaded to Monterey. "That horrible priest accused my friend without any proof! He kidnapped her!"

"No, that's not true! I mean… " Monterey tried to defend Julien's actions, but it was very difficult. "The law says..."

"Do you really think these laws are fair, Mr. 'Knight'?" interrupted Dale, emphasizing the last word.

Monterey Jack tried to find the right words. Everyone around him, Zipper included, was waiting for his answer. Reflective, he recalled the events from the whole day. He met the red haired girl on the morning, when she welcomed them to her inn with a smile and a jug of water. She even called her little sister to say hello to him. They both looked so happy on the outside, although Monty did notice a hint of sorrow in the hostess's voice. Then, that same evening, Julien Montblanc came into her house and accused her of witchcraft, just because she was the daughter of a witch. The sins of her mother cursed her, said the inquisitor… but was that fair?

"Laws aren't always fair" finally whispered the knight. "But still, they must be obeyed". Bracing up, He grabbed the tilt of his giant sword strapped at his back, ready to go into action.

Zipper tried to insist. "Monty, listen…"

"Nay Zipper!" replied Monterey scolding his friend. "We are hired soldiers! We were paid to follow orders, not to judge them!" However, deep inside, Monterey felt there was something wrong with that last statement. He put that feeling aside and focused in the incoming fight. "Come on, Zip… Don't let me down now!"

"'Let you down? I'd never!" answered the scout drawing his needle sword and pointing it to Gadget. "I'll follow you, Monty!"

"Great!" confirmed Monterey excitedly. "You demons, say hello to my little friend!" Upon saying this, the scottish mouse unsheathed his giant, heavy and serrated sword.

Chip's party stepped back in awe. "That's not a sword!" accused Dale. "That's a human sized kitchen knife!"

"Very useful to cut cheese" replied Monterey grinning arrogantly. "Cheese and evil"

"Let's end this, Monty" hurried Zipper to his friend. _Before I have second thoughts_

From the inn's darkened entrance, priest Louis was about to came out and intervene, but Chip gave him a quick gesture to stay hidden. He didn't want Louis to be involved even more; he had to take care of Bink if something went wrong. Something like an inquisition knight attacking them with a human knife.

Suddenly, Gadget stepped forward with pleading arms. "Wait a moment, my lord! I still have something to say about this!"

Both soldiers went immediately on guard expecting some malevolent action, but Gadget didn't do anything like that. She just stood there with her unkempt appearance and appealing blue eyes, waiting for the knight's response. Her friends were as puzzled by the request as Monterey and Zipper.

A pair of seconds later, Monterey finally decided to speak. "Sorry little sheila, but we have our orders. No grudges, ok?"

"Oh none at all" assured the young mouse. "But… it's so late and dark already. I'm quite sure everyone but us are already sleeping"

Looking up to the sky, Zipper was the first to agree. "Well… that's true, it's kind of late…"

"What are you saying, mate?" rebuked Monterey. "This is not the first time we battle at night!"

Gadget continued his speech, fidgeting her fingers. "And this has been a really long day! I'm sure you are hoping it ends already so you can rest on your warm beds!"

Both knights lower their guards and looked to each other. "Well…" admitted the knight. "I already took a nap at noon but… all these thrills and persecutions are wearing me off, I wish I could have some dinner"

"Indeed!" nodded the little scout. "I have been hovering from one side of the town to the other all day long. I even went to the cemetery and back! I could really use a bed now." He ended with a big yawn.

"Poor of you" exclaimed Gadget comprehensive. "So there you have it! It's time to go to sleep. No more fights for today, just some rest and sweet dreams! Just reeest" That last sentence sounded like a lullaby in the ears of the mercenaries, who began to blink and relax.

Unfortunately, Monterey understood the trick. "Just rest? Wait a minute! Are you trying to put us to sleep?"

"Actually, yes!" answered the witch shamelessly. "This is my sleep spell. Don't worry, it's completely harmless, I even use it on myself from time to time"

"Oh no!" The knight quickly covered his ears and turned to his friend. "Zipper, it's a spell! We must fight it!"

"I will… tomorrow…" answered Zipper dropping his sword. "I really, really need to sleep…" And with that, the little fly closed his eyes and plummeted to the floor like a feather, unconscious.

Monterey picked up his friend and shook him up to make him react. "Zipper! Wake up, pally!" The fly responded that order with a snore. Frustrated, Monterey moved him to a safe place and turned again to face the young witch and her friends.

"I must admit, witch… that was a good move. But your spell didn't work at me! Guess why? Look at this amulet!" Monterey brought out his crystal necklace and showed it to the already curious witch.

"Hey…" Gadget watched the necklace attentively. "Is that a piece of black quartz from Ural lake?"

"Umm… I don't know" admitted the big mouse. "Is it?"

"These quartzes are magic jammers. That must be the reason you are not sleeping like a baby now"

"Ha!" Monterey bragged. "Did you hear that, Zipper? And you said I was wasting money in this girlie necklace!" Zipper answered with another snare. "Oh yeah… you are asleep…"

Chip moved forward and placed his paw on the witch's shoulder. "Gadget…"

"Sorry Chip" said the witch apologetically. "I failed"

"Don't say that" The ranger comforted her. "Thanks to you there is only one enemy left. Now step back, I'll take care of him!"

"You alone?" asked his friends in unison.

"Must I remind you" answered Chip pointing to himself. "That I'm the only certified fighter here?"

Chip's friends fell silent. They couldn't argue that. Dale was an artist, not a fighter; Foxglove was more a rogue than a warrior and Gadget didn't even had her broom at hand to join the fight. The ranger was their only option, although against him was standing a proud and seasoned warrior with enough strength as to cut him in pieces like a cheddar cheese.

The pink bat watched at the big mouse standing on guard again and tried to reason with his friend one last time. "Come on Chip, this is not bravery, is madness!"

"Madness huh?" answered Chip with sarcasm. "Then I'm the most qualified for this task". His friends were left perplexed by his answer, and the ranger gave a quick look to the night sky. _Well, no ravens are flying above my head this time, so I guess I'm not hallucinating that giant sword._

Monterey was not very impressed by the green cloaked chipmunk, to be honest. "So you will be my opponent? You don't look very capable, shortie…"

Chip unsheathed his knife. "Shortie? I have defeated boars eight times heavier than you, my lord… well, maybe five times heavier… I'm the best warrior in entire Normandy"

"A bit presumptuous, aren't we?"

"It's called confidence" answered Chip with a smug smile. "Actually, I'm so sure I can defeat you, that I will fight without weapons!" For everyone's astonishment, Chip threw aside his knife and adopted a bare fist fighting stance, arms stretched forward and paws clenched. His expression was serious but confident. "I'm ready!".

The knight looked at him incredulous. "Are you… gone mad?"

"My friend isn't mad!" answered Dale defiantly. "He is the greatest warrior around here! He will defeat you and your two handed sword in no time! It will be such a great song!"

Gadget and Foxglove glanced at Dale nonplussed. The bard gave them a silent hurry up gesture, indicating them to say something too. The girls understood then what their chipmunk friends were trying to do.

"Emm right!" added Foxglove. "You are right! Come on Chip! Show this scottish invader that we normands are braver than them!"

"I'm afraid to say Mr. Knight, but historically normands are better warriors" explained Gadget to Monterey. "After all, It was a normand king who conquered England in 1066. Scotland has not been able to do the same, so…"

"Wait a minute!" yelled Monterey completely offended. "I won't let you to talk ill about great Scotland!" We are absolutely braver than you, normands!"

"Yeah right…" Dale mocked him. "But you are hiding behind your giant sword".

"Me, hiding? Never! You want a fist fight? You got one!" Monterey threw away his serrated sword and clenched his paws. A small, triumphant grin appeared on Chip's lips. The taunt had worked. "Come, shortie! Monterey Jack will turn you into dust!"

"We shall see…" answered Chip coldly.

"Fight!"

They charged at each other at the same time. Monterey threw powerful blow combinations at Chip without mercy, as boiled up as he was. Chip used his speed to escape each jab, crossed and hook sent to him. However, he was not able to find a weak spot in the knight stance. This knight was a experienced brawler, no doubt about it. Still, he had to keep moving, because receiving a direct punch from the bulky mouse would be fatal. Just keep dodging and waiting for a chance. And the moment finally came. Desperate, Monterey recoiled his arm too much in preparation for a major punch, giving Chip a half second opportunity. The ranger finally connected a hit against the mouse's big belly.

The knight stepped back laughing amazed. "What was that?" he asked twirling his mustache. "Summer's gentle breeze? Yeh, that oughta be"

Recovering his breath, Chip answered him. "That was just… a warning… of what comes next"

"You don't say!" replied Monterey patting his belly. "You would need a thousand blows like that to make me fall!"

"And you better admit… that you haven't touched me once!" said the ranger rushing at him.

"Round two, huh?" commented the knight, just in time to defend himself. This time, however, his arms had a bit of trouble to get on guard again. He had to admit he was a bit weary too. And Chip was on the offense, performing feints and side attacks, forcing Monterey to turn around again and again. The ranger's punches started to connect, but they almost passed unnoticed by the big sturdy mouse. Just when Chip made a pause to breath, Monterey counterattacked him with chains of heavy blows forcing the ranger to step back. Still, none of these punches found their target. Chip's nimbleness caused the knight to grumble in despair. However, such display of agility was taking his toll on the ranger. Even more, Despite Chip's efforts, he was not able yet to dominate the fight. Time was running out, as well as his stamina.

Chip's friends were following the fight with concern. "Come on, Chip, you can do it! Shouted Foxglove with a hint of anxiety. "You can do it…" she ended in a whisper.

Gadget was even more worried. "Please Chip, be careful… there isn't other way?" she whispered to herself.

Oddly enough, Dale was silent, fidgeting nervously with his backpack's stripes. His eyes were watering up out of frustration.

Suddenly, everyone gasped in awe. Due to Chip's weariness, Monterey finally found his way into the chipmunk's side. The knight managed to land a straight jab to the left ribs before Chip was able to deflect it, making him grimace in pain. Then, something incredible happened. Clenching his teeth, the ranger used the flow of the punch to spin on himself and counterattack with a reverse elbow punch to the knight's chest, followed by a direct hit on the nose. They both stepped back, flinching suffocated.

"Why you, little…! You are as slippery as a fish!" the mouse groused, blinking and covering his nose.

"My dancing lessons… paid off…" answered Chip grasping for air and grabbing his left side.

"Heh!" the knight couldn't help but laugh inwardly. "how witty… But now it's time to end this!" Monterey stood and charged forth again like a raging bull.

"So let's end it!"replied Chip standing up defiantly.

With the corner of his eye, Monterey noticed a red and yellow figure that rushed at him from his left side. Stepping aside, he barely managed to defend himself from the wild series of blows and scratches that a second opponent threw at him in quick motion.

"Dale!" shouted Chip astonished watching his bard friend lashing out at the knight.

"Dale! What are you doing!" exclaimed Foxglove wide eyed.

"Chip, Foxy!" answered Dale between blow and blow. "It's getting late… we still have to rescue Tammy!"

Chip comprehended and nodded. "You are right, buddy… thanks for remind me!"

Encouraged by his friend's bravery, Chip joined the fight again. Both chipmunks began to dodge in perfect synchrony the tired blows sent by the bewildered Monterey although the rough Scottish still kept bearing the quick but ineffective attacks of his young opponents. Exploiting a small chance, Monterey managed to catch one of the amateurish punches of Dale. Grabbing him by his arm, he lifted the frightened bard over his head and used him as some sort of weapon to fight back. Chip barely dodged his yelling friend.

"Wait, wait! I'm not a club!"

"Just pretend you are one, lad!"

Foxglove couldn't stand it anymore. "Dale! Hold on, sweetie!" The bat rose in the air and then violently swooped towards the knight. Taking Monterey by surprise, she joined the fight kicking his head over and over. Monterey immediately let go Dale to cover his face, and helped by Chip, they both rejoined Foxglove at the offense. The knight was being punched, kicked and scratched from all sides.

"Hey, hey!" Yelled the mustachoed mouse. "Fight me one by one, you brats!"

"We have no time!" answered Chip, Dale and Foxy in unison.

Monterey tried to counterattack throwing blind punches here and there, without any success. He turned around again and again, covering his face with one arm and receiving hits and scratches, even occasional bites. Amidst the confusion, Dale managed to grab and pull off the necklace from the knight's neck.

"Gadget!" exclaimed the bard weaving the necklace. "Look what I've got!"

"Excellent Dale!" applauded the witch. "Everyone, step aside!" She closed her eyes and made gestures with her paws, whispering some magic words that ended in: "Entangle!"

Magical, green glowering vines rose up from beneath the soil and surrounded the shocked Monterey entirely, grabbing him by his legs and wrapping around his belly. Soon he was completely trapped and hanged upside down like a tomato. The vines also caught the sleeping oblivious Zipper. Tired and weak, scratched and bitten, the knight couldn't fight the tight embrace for too long.

"Right, right… I surrender! You've won, you've won..." he admitted with a weary sigh.

"Yes, we won!" Exclaimed Dale jumping out of happiness. "Normandy 1, Scotland 0!"

"Though at the end it was you four against me" the defeated mouse protested.

"Aww don't mind him, darling" said Foxglove to his boyfriend hugging him tenderly. "You were so brave, entering the fight to defend Chip!"

"Absolutely!" Added Gadget, occupied in examining Chip's left side. "This fight could have ended way worse, but thanks to you Dale, it didn't. Now tell me Chip, it hurts here?" The witch poked one of the ranger's ribs.

"Ouchh yes!" Yelled Chip with a jolt of pain. "And you Dale" he said turning to his friend to scold him. "That was very dangerous! I had everything under control, did you know?"

"Yeah right" Dale and Monterey replied sarcastically at the same time.

"Oh my!" Gadget gasped. "Chip, you have a broken rib! Stay still while I bandage it!"

"Oh… that explains the extreme pain when I try to breathe" joked Chip grinning weakly.

Foxglove flapped to Chip with concern. "But then… how are we going to rescue Tammy now? You can't fight these inquisitors in such state"

Chip mused about their predicament for some seconds, and then he glanced at the knights. "We… might use some help, I suppose"

Monterey winced contemptuously at the idea. "You are not thinking about me, are you?" He revolted, trying to get rid of the vines. "Heroes don't mix with evil villains like you!"

"Hey, you are badly misinformed about us!" replied Dale annoyed.

Chip stifled a yelp when Gadget tightened the bandages. "Unngh! Gadget… could you please wake up the knight's friend? He needs to listen to this"

"Of course!" answered Gadget, snapping her fingers. Zipper immediately opened his eyes and yawned.

"Oh what a nice dream I had" muttered the fly. "I met this queen bee and... and..." Zipper finally noticed that he was entangled in magical vines. "What the!" he tried to free himself unsuccessfully. "Monty! what happened to us?"

Entangled upside down like a cocoon, the knight answered to his friend. "Well pally, as you can see, we were utterly defeated by that witch"

"Ohh this is not good…" the fly shivered.

Enduring the pain, Chip approached to the hanged pair. "Hey you two! You have nothing to fear from us. We aren't dangerous at all. Much less Gadget here. I think it's time to end this misunderstanding, don't you agree?"

Monterey rolled his eyes in disdain. "Ok, let's hear what you have to say, but I don't promise anything!"

"So, your names are Monterey Jack and Zipper, I'm right?"

"Yes..." they both responded looking away.

"Well, my name is Chip Maplewood, ranger of the forest of Maulevrier; this is my friend Dale Oakmond the bard and his fiancé Foxglove; And this one is Gadget Hackwrench, the witch who saved me from being executed by your superiors.

"Hiya!"

"Hello!"

"Hi! Nice to meet you properly at last!"

"Hello…" was Monterey and Zipper downhearted simultaneous response.

"Now that we know each other's names, let's talk about our common goals. Zipper, did you say you two also want to help my friend Tammy ?

"Yes" answered Zipper. "That is still our intention, right Monty?"

"Well yeah but…" Monterey stirred. " We also have our duty to fulfill, so let me get down so I can finish you!"

Foxglove tried to bring the stubborn mouse to his senses. "Please Mr. Monterey, it's so hard to admit you lost a fight? It's not the end of the world, you know? Please, calm down and hear us!"

Even Zipper tried to appease his friend. "Come on, Monty! We did the best we could... let's focus now on saving that young squirrel"

"Monterey" insisted Chip. "Do you have any idea what your boss will do to my friend to make her confess against her will?"

Monterey winced at the thought and stopped to fight. He had heard the rumors. No, these weren't rumors. He had walked by to the gallows the day he was hired back in Rouen. It never crossed his mind that an innocent and smiling girl could end in such stinking cells for the darn. And now such injustice had happened and he, the brave hero from Scotland, had been the one who sent her there. A cold sweat crossed his face.

"Monty, they are going to..." said Zipper with broken voice.

"I know, Zip, I know! But... we are bounded by an unbreakable oath." he lamented. "I just never imagined it would come down to this"

Chip sighed in frustration. The time had come. The time to beg for help. At this point, he didn't care anymore. "Please, help us…" he whispered sorrowful. "I... I can't do this alone anymore and I don't want the rest of my friends to be hurt, I really need your help, Monterey. So here I promise you, I swear to you, that if you help me tonight to save my beloved friend Tammy…" Chip hesitated for a moment looking at the downcast Dale, who had just guessed his next words, and then glanced back at Monterey with trembling voice. "You will never hear of me again! I will flee to the other side of the ocean to never come back. You understand this? It will be the same as if you had vanished me. At the end, It will be your victory, knight... you will have fulfilled your duty"

That promise took Monterey by surprise, but there was still a loose end. "And... what about your witch friend ?" he asked, turning his gaze to the young black cloaked mouse.

Chip shook his head in disgust. "I'm sorry, but I can't force her to promise anything, and I'd never think of doing it"

"Wait Chip!" Gadget pleaded. "It's ok... my intention was always to flee as far from my homeland as possible. America sounds good to me, so... let's travel there together, ok?" She then weaved her hand at Monterey. "Mr. Knight? If you kindly lend us your help, I too promise to get away from you for the rest of your life!"

Foxglove couldn't help but chuckle at Gadget's curious promise. Her attitude toward the witch was starting to relax.

Monterey Jack mused for a whole minute before stating his final decision. For him, pride honor and reputation should be held above anything. Hanging around with a band of criminals and enchanters was always out of the question. And now, he was putting a girl in danger because of these high ideals. That was also reprehensible, to say the least. Maybe, just maybe, allying himself with a witch in order to save a life could be worth it.

"Right... right..." he muttered, telling himself it was the only way to save that girl. "I accept. I'll help you save your friend"

"Yay!" exclaimed everyone in celebration.

"Ouch my ribs!"

"Ok lads" Monterey broke their joy. "Now that we are allies... could you let us free?"

"Oh sorry about that!" Gadget apologized. With a snap, the glowing vines disintegrated in a cloud of green sparks. Zipper immediately hovered away, but Monterey fell to the ground like a rock.

"Oww!"

"Too bad you don't have wings, eh?" poked him Zipper.

"How funny..." replied the knight.

Dale came to him with a guilty face . "Oh Mr. Monterey..."

"Please lad, just call me Monterey"

"Oh ok! Monterey, here is your necklace!"

"Why, thanks!" the mouse picked up his amulet and hide it again inside his shirt.

"Emm... did you know it is a girl's necklace?"

The knight glared at the bard mildly annoyed. "Yes, I know it! Thanks!". Everyone around him chuckled.

"Ok guys" hurried Chip. "Pick up your equipment; we still have to save our red-haired friend!"

"At once, sir!" Joked Dale enthusiastic.

Chip's team started to walk towards the north gate of the town. Everyone was smiling, grateful for have solved their differences, found a common goal and more companions. Looking back, Chip spotted old priest Louis standing outside the inn, sorrowful but proud of them at the same time. Chip waved a sad farewell to him, knowing that he would never be able to come back to St. Pierre.


	10. Chapter 10 - The road

**Chapter 10 - The road**

The ranger, the witch, the bard, the rogue, the knight and the scout. All of them had just passed through the now unguarded north gate when a furious scream was heard in the air. Looking back, our heroes gasped in horror at the cloud of bats rising from the town square and silhouetted by the moon. The silence spell had finally dispelled and the night guard of the town was now craving for revenge.

Well, one of them wasn't looking for witches anymore. Among the shrieks, the keen ears of Foxglove distinguished the voice of her father calling out: "BAAARRRRRDDDDD!".

The rogue turned pale in fear. "Oh my god! Sweetie, we have to run! Now!" Giving no explanations, the pink bat grabbed Dale by his shoulders and flapped away with him as fast as she could. The red-nosed chipmunk was pushed like some baggage, barely keeping the pace with his scared girlfriend.

"Foxy, wait!" begged the bard stumbling over and over. "What's the hurry?"

"We have to get away from my father!" Foxglove half-explained. Doubling her effort, she finally lifted Dale in the air.

"Much better" admitted Dale. "But please, slow down!"

"Foxglove, Dale! Wait for us!" exclaimed Chip, mounted on Gadget's broom. "Come on everyone, let's follow them!"

"Right!" responded his remaining friends in unison.

The party ran across the cemetery and beyond. All the way until they weren't able to hear the bat screams anymore. Completely tired, Foxglove landed out of breath on the grass at the side of the road. Dale sat by her side and helped her to recover. It was then when they realized they had left their friends way behind.

Dale picked up his canteen and offered some water to his girlfriend. "It looks like we will have to wait a little for the others, Foxy." The bard looked behind them narrowing his eyes. "I can barely distinguish them on this darkness… That wide one must be Monterey"

Foxglove finished to drink and stayed silently pensive for a moment. "Dale, tell me something…"

"Sure, what is it?"

"What will you do after saving Tammy?"

"Well, to celebrate of course! Let's celebrate like it's 1699!"

Foxglove gave him an anxious look. "And after that, cutie?"

This time, Dale decided to think more thoroughly before answer. "Well, I… I guess I should go talk with your father" he gulped at the mere thought. "And tell him everything about us."

The bat shook her head. "That's not a good idea anymore, darling… I already talked with my father about us and… our wedding plans"

"Really?" replied Dale stunned. "And… what did he said?"

"To say? Actually, he didn't say anything"

Dale was puzzled. "Huh? Nothing at all?"

"No, but judging by his silent mad outburst, I recommend you not to get close to him in some days… or some weeks, by all means"

"Oh…" answered Dale, understanding how grave his situation was. Even so, his humorous temper didn't decay. "Eh, don't worry about it. We can always accompany Chip to the other side of the world. Just imagine it! We could change our names, entertain the pilgrims, build a cabin…"

Foxglove giggled at the image. "And then we adopt ten orphans? Just like Gadget suggested to Chip at the inn?

"Of course!" laughed Dale. "Chip, Gadget and their kids could be our neighbors!"

Foxglove's smile faded. "Chip and Tammy sounds better, though…"

"Oh boy, Tammy…" mused Dale, rubbing the back of his neck. "How will she react when she meets Chip's new friend?"

"Ha!" the bat smirked at his boyfriend. "Just as I would react if I discover you flying alongside a beautiful yet clueless blonde witch: I'd kill you twice!"

Glancing at Dale with a mischievous look, Foxglove tackled him playfully and both rolled laughing on the grass. It was a tender moment in the middle of a chaotic night. And for some seconds, all their troubles disappeared. They only stopped upon hearing a fake cough sounding above of them. Chip and Gadget had finally arrived.

"Oh Chip!" said Foxglove standing upright immediately, clearly blushed. "We were just…"

"Training!" completed Dale quickly. "Training wrestling moves, you know, just in case"

"That sounds useful!" commented Gadget.

Grumbling, Chip helped Dale to stand up. "Focus, guys! Mission first, celebrations later!"

"Yes, captain" answered Dale shamelessly.

"Yeah, sorry" apologized Foxglove.

Monterey and Zipper arrived shortly after. The Scottish knight let himself fall in the grass gasping for air. "Crikey! I hadn't run this fast since the time I was chased by those leprechauns of Limerick!"

"Monterey, are you all right?" asked Chip.

"No problem, mate" assured Monterey weaving his paw. "Just give me some seconds to get my second wind… or the third"

"Right…" said Chip turning his sight to the road ahead. "I wish we could know how far we are from the caravan yet".

Suddenly, some lights on the distance caught everyone's attention.

"Hey, what are those lights? Asked Dale. "Is that them?"

"These are campfires" noted Chip. "Could it be that the caravan decided to stop and rest?"

"I'm not sure" said Monterey narrowing his eyes. "Sure my boss ain't fond of marching at night but he seemed to be in a big rush to take Tammy to our headquarters at Rouen. These could be just hunters or travelers."

Chip shrugged. "I guess we won't know until we get closer".

"I can help!" interrupted Gadget, causing everyone to look at her. "Just a moment… It must be here inside…" She sank her paw inside her cloak, and some seconds later retrieved a quite large telescope, for everyone but Chip's astonishment.

"Found it!" she declared proudly. "Try looking through my telescope. It's twice as powerful as the reflecting one invented by Newton, that was an improvement of the refracting one invented by Galilei, and… Anyway, try it!"

"Oh thanks, Gadget!" said Chip taking the witch's invention.

"But how did you…" started to ask Dale.

"Wow!" exclaimed Chip. "Everything looks like on daytime!"

"Of course!" explained Gadget. "It's an improvement invented by me. It's called 'night vision'. Very handy, huh?"

"Awesome! Lem'me watch too!" Demanded Monterey, grabbing the telescope from Chip's paws.

"Me too!" said Zipper.

"Hey, ladies first!" exclaimed Foxglove, flapping and grabbing the telescope.

"Wait! I was using it!" Chip scolded them.

Gadget watched her invention passing from one companion to another. "Please guys, be careful! That's a very delicate instrument!"

While everyone was trying to watch through the telescope at the same time, Dale slipped behind Gadget. Filled with curiosity, he sank his paw inside the witch's long silk cloak. At first, nothing strange happened, aside from the image of watching his paw disappear into the nothingness. But suddenly, Dale felt something cold and slimy wrapping his paw and pulling it further inside. Obviously, the bard screamed with all his strength. "Waaaaaahhhh! Chip, help meee!"

Everyone stopped to fight and turned to the bard. "Dale!"

Dale managed to pull his paw out of Gadget's cloak, just to be struck by the sight of a tentacle holding his wrist tightly. "Oh my god, oh my god! It's an octopus! An octopus is coming out of the cloak!"

"Gustav!" ordered Gadget. "Let him go! I'm not storing him!"

"Gustav?" exclaimed everyone shocked, while trying to free Dale from the tentacle.

Somehow the octopus heard Gadget's order and let go Dale at once, making him fall back along with Chip and Monterey. Zipper and Foxglove managed to fly aside at the last moment. "Darling, are you ok?" asked the pink bat to his boyfriend.

"Yeah, I guess… I still have my arm but… did you see it? It was an octopus!"

Chip bonked his friend in order to 'bring him to his senses'. "Dale! What were you thinking? Actually, were you thinking?"

"I'm so sorry Dale!" the witch apologized. "I forgot to tell you about Gustav, my octopus"

"You have an octopus as a pet?" asked Foxglove in disbelief.

"And he lives inside your cloak?" added Zipper.

"Well…" explained Gadget sheepishly. "This 'infinite storage room' silk cloak was inherited to me by my late father some months ago. This cute octopus it's the keeper. Gustav, say hello to my friends!"

The tentacle wiggled like a tail.

"Good boy!" praised him Gadget. "Now come back inside!"

Obedient, the tentacle disappeared beneath the cloak folds. Everyone arched their brows at the sight meanwhile Chip helped his friend to stand up again. "Now Dale, I think you owe Gadget an apology for rummaging in her… storage room"

Gadget shook her head. "Oh that's not…"

"So true, lad!" interrupted Monterey. "You were so lucky! What if instead of an octopus you had been attacked by a shark?"

"A shark?" echoed Gadget wide-eyed. "But…"

"…it could also be a lion, can you imagine it?" added Foxglove haunted.

"… or a poisonous snake…" added Chip coldly.

"…or a poisonous spider…" completed Zipper deadpanned.

On that moment, Dale was completely pale, trembling in fear over the images told by his friends. "Ok, ok! I got it! I will never do it again!"

"That's enough guys!" ordered the witch. "You are scaring him!"

Dale apologized shivering with pleading paws. "I'm so sorry, Gadget!" It won't happen again!"

The witch placed her paw over the frightened bard's shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. "Dale it's ok… I forgive you! And don't listen to them; there is no shark, lion, snake or spider inside my father's cloak. He chose Gustav as the keeper because an octopus is pretty inoffensive. My father didn't like to hurt anyone."

"Phew! That's a relief, thanks!" said Dale, breathing normally again.

Chip huffed and turned to the road again "Well, now that everything is back to normal… " He grabbed the telescope and looked at the strange lights on the distance. "Yes, it's them! The caravan is setting a campsite because… one of the wheels of the cage is broken? I wonder if Tammy had something to do with that"

"Excellent!" the big mouse celebrated. "What are we waiting for? Let's go there so I can tell my boss I'm quitting by making him eat my contract!"

"Oh! I wish I could do that!" commented Gadget absently.

"Right everyone! Let's move!"

Foxglove grabbed Dale by his shoulders again and lifted him up in the air. "Come sweetie, let's get there first again!"

"I follow you, Foxy!" The bard joked.

"On march, Zipper!" the knight signaled his little friend. "Time for another stroll!"

"At once, Monty!"

The knight and the scout began to walk and Chip picked up his backpack to join them, but was promptly stopped by Gadget hovering on her broom.

"Chip, what do you think you are doing? Climb up!"

"Gadget, that's not necessary anymore. I feel better, really!" Chip managed to smile despite the continuous jolts of pain from his ribs. He just didn't want to be a burden for the team.

But Gadget didn't buy that acting. She folded her arms and scolded her friend. "Please, stop playing the lone wolf. I don't like when you do that" She then offered her paw inviting him to ride at her side. "You are not a burden, Chip; you are our leader!"

The ranger couldn't resist the invitation of his smiling blonde friend for too long. Taking her paw, he mounted on the broom and they both rose up on the night sky. Chip had to admit it; he really liked to fly alongside Gadget.

"Umm Gadget…" Chip asked timidly.

"Yes, Chip?"

"About your father… I want to give you my condolences; I wish I had met him"

"Aw, thank you Chip! I really appreciate it!" The witch squeezed Chip's paw gently, causing him to blush.

"Do you have any more family?"

Gadget nodded with melancholy. "Well, my mother died as well… Now I only have a sister left. A twin sister, back in Cologne"

"A twin sister?" asked Chip amazed. "What's her name?"

"… Lawhinie" answered Gadget hesitant. Suddenly, Chip wasn't sure if she wanted to talk anymore.

"Do you… miss her?" he asked cautiously.

"Sure, but only fifty-three percent of the time" she answered gloomy. "My sister was the one who convinced me to sign my contract"

Chip looked aghast at his friend. "But that's horrible!"

"Indeed it is…" she whispered. "Anyway, right now I prefer to stay with you and our new friends"

They both glanced at the rest of the group. Dale and Foxglove were laughing; playing races one against the other. The rogue bat was flapping forward some seconds to suddenly stop and encourage Dale to catch her. Just when the bard was about to touch her, she flapped again giggling.

Behind them, Monterey was jogging telling Zipper about that encounter with a clan of leprechauns, right after he found a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Obvious to say, Zipper was having a hard time believing him.

"Heh, we are all crazy here" declared Chip smirking.

"Even you?" asked Gadget curious.

"Even me" answered Chip wryly.

Both friends looked at each other with appealling eyes, realizing that they were ready to trust and share all their painful secrets, away as they were from intrusive ears (except maybe Foxglove's). However, that time had just passed. Below them, the campfires and tents of the inquisition caravan appeared.


	11. Chapter 11 - Raining fire

**Chapter 11 – Raining fire**

Chip and Gadget descended in silence behind a group of berry bushes near the inquisitors campsite. Dale and Foxglove were already waiting there; Monty and Zipper arrived shortly after. Tammy was just some fifteen yards away from them, locked in a cage and guarded by soldiers. The ranger and the scout decided to make a quick stealthily reconnaissance.

The campsite was well illuminated with fires all around, as our heroes quickly noticed. Fortunately, there were still a few blind spots to sneak in. Once inside the campsite, they found themselves in a dire situation. Although there were some tents here and there, none of the soldiers were resting. Every one of them was busy patrolling the area and keeping guard on Tammy's cage. A pair of soldiers were trying to fix the broken wheel with sounding hammer blows, with another one at their side hurrying them up visibly nervous and pale. Chip recognized him as part of the squad who witnessed Gadget's apparition back at the cemetery. Being so, he really had motives to be edgy. However, paying closer attention, all the soldiers looked very tense and apprehensive: marching slowly and whispering; glancing at the night sky rather than at their surroundings; pointing their shaking spears at the smallest sound or shadow. These soldiers were completely terrified, was the conclusion of Chip and Zipper.

At the center of the camp stood an elegant tent with inquisitorial crests guarded by a pair of soldiers. Thanks to the bonfire inside, the shadow of a mouse in robes was clearly visible, walking back and forth flipping through the pages of a large book. His body gestures suggested that he was either exasperated or frustrated with the contents, as he almost threw the tome away violently, only to refrain at the last moment.

Chip and Zipper were hidden nearby, leaning against another tent. "What could he be reading?" whispered Chip puzzled by the strange behavior of the inquisitor.

"Well..." answered Zipper tapping his chin. "Monty mentioned Julien stole a cooking book from the inn"

"Huh?" Chip glanced quizzically at his new friend. "Elizabeth's cooking book? Are you joking?" Zipper just shrugged sheepishly. "Well, now that's weird" the ranger admitted. _He wants to forbid coffee, perhaps?_

On their way back, they passed close to the cage where Tammy was imprisoned. Chip stopped and analyzed the situation: two soldiers keeping guard; two more soldiers trying to fix the broken wheel; another frightened soldier at their side. Nearby, a pair of soldiers patrolling. On top of that, the pain on his ribs was killing him. Still, when he distinguished the sad and hopeless figure of the girl behind the bars, he took his decision. He stepped forth.

Alarmed, Zipper pulled him back immediately. "Chip wait! What are you doing? It's not safe yet!" he whispered to the chipmunk. "They will kill you on sight!"

"But I... I... " the ranger stuttered and finally let out a sigh of frustration. "You are right Zipper, I need a better plan"

The fly patted his friend's shoulder. "Come on, we'll think on something once we reunite with the others"

The ranger and the scout managed to pass through the guards and campfires unnoticed. Some minutes later they safely reached their friends at the other side of the bushes. Monterey, Dale and Gadget were waiting eagerly for them.

"Where is Foxglove?" asked Chip glancing all around.

"Up here!" answered the pink bat landing next to her friends. "I was keeping an eye on you two from the sky, just in case. I felt the heartbeats of these soldiers, boy they are a frightened bunch!"

Chip turned around to see the encampment on the distance. "Sure they are" he confirmed. "They just discovered that witches and ghosts are real. Although these ghosts were just illusions, but the effect was the same"

Gadget rubbed the back of her head ashamed. "I hope I didn't cause any permanent psychological trauma to them... They should know that not all ghosts are evil, most of them are actually very friendly... oh!"

"Anyway" continued Chip. "Come here team, this is the new plan. Gadget, can you...?" The ranger addressed his female friend, but she was apart, watching attentively at the sky. "Gadget?" repeated Chip walking close to her.

The witch didn't answer. She kept staring at the blue with an apprehensive look. Her friends joined her in silence, unsure of what was the cause for her anxiety. Up there, the same old August sky was surrounding them, filled with stars and clouds. The waxing moon was already on its zenith indicating midnight. Just as yesterday and the day before.

Suddenly, a glint on the dark side of the moon caught everyone's curiosity. One second later, a small silhouette crossed through the bright side at high speed and disappeared again in the darkness. Chip glanced at Gadget and discovered her trembling in fear. He glanced back at the sky, just in time to spot the silhouette getting closer to them.

Dale was the first to ask the question. "What's that?"

"It's a... bird?" tried to answer Monterey, not very convinced.

Zipper didn't believe that, either. "No, not a bird. I can't see its wings"

"Also, it doesn't sound like a bird" commented Foxglove. "More like..." She turned to Gadget's broom and her eyes widened.

"It can't be!" exclaimed Gadget awestruck. "Why is she here!?"

Chip ran to help her. "Gadget, calm down! Who are you talking about?"

Before Gadget could explain, the flying figure launched a gigantic, blazing fire ball at the inquisitor camp. The soldiers were taken completely by surprise. The resulting explosion was so intense that shattered the earth, causing our heroes to be thrown back stunned to the ground. "Iiiiiaaaaaaggghhh!"

Dale opened his eyes. Everything around him was just smoke and ashes. The air was hot and difficult to breathe. Next to him was Foxglove, coughing and trying to get back on her feet. Chip appeared stumbling behind her, grabbing his wounded ribs and guiding Gadget, who was staring vacantly at where the campsite was supposed to be.

"Chip!" said Dale helping Foxglove to stand up. "Thank goodness you are right! What just happened?"

Monterey arrived to them covered in dust. Zipper was right behind him. "That's what I'd like to know, guys! Did a barrel with gunpowder exploded?"

"My sister is here..." whispered Gadget to herself, and then she raised her voice. "My twin sister Lawhinie attacked the inquisitors!"

"Twin sister?" exclaimed everyone shocked.

"Wait!" interrupted Foxglove. "Everyone, hide!"

At once, the friends hid beneath the grass, just in time to behold the female mouse mounted in a broom who passed slowly through the smoke.

It was a witch, Lawhinie Hackwrench, Gadget's twin sister. She had the same white slender body, the same blue eyes, the same long orange hair and the same pink nose. Still, there were also some minor differences: Lawhinie was wearing dark blue eye shadows; her hair was bright and flossy; her nails long and stylized. But above all, the main difference was her gaze. This witch had an evil twisted look on her face, bordering in a leer. The complete opposite of Gadget's absent and beatific look.

Also, Lawhinie had the air of a rich spoiled girl. She was dressed with an elegant and expensive gown length black and green dress with cross lacing on its cut down bodice, sheer sleeves slashed were meeting at the cuffs. A pair of rings adorned her paws. Unlike Gadget, she was wearing a typical pointy witch hat. However, this hat was bent and adorned with black feathers. oddly enough, Lawhinie was wearing a red tropical flower over her left ear.

The malevolent witch glanced coldly all around, apparently looking for someone. For a moment she stared at the point where Chip and his friends were hiding, but some yells of pain sounded on the distance and made her turn around. Sneering, she hovered away and soon was covered again by the smoke.

By now everybody was pale and shaking in fear. "Chip?" whispered Dale. "Did you see her? What are we gonna do?"

Foxglove shook her head and covered her ears. "Oh my god! The air is filled with cries of pain! There are many injured soldiers there! We have to…"

"We have to help them!" completed Monty standing up. "Heroes don't turn their backs on injured people, even if they are enemies!"

Zipper noted that someone was missing. "Hey, where is Gadget?"

"I'm here!" the witch reappeared floating in her broom with a haunted look on her face. "I have to try to stop my sister, before she kills someone!"

Chip stood up shaking, but he was able to disguise the fact he was as scared as everyone else. "Everyone, calm down!" he ordered. "New plan! Dale, Foxglove, go and free Tammy from the cage! Then you run back to Saint Pierre as fast as you can!"

"What?" exclaimed Dale shocked. "I'm not leaving you here with a evil fire-throwing witch!"

"Dale, it's an order!" Chip yelled, causing Dale to cringe. Ashamed, the ranger ran to his friend and hugged him tightly. "Brother, please understand! You know you have to take care of Foxglove and Tammy from now on, will you do it?"

Dale was so touched that tears started to well up in his eyes. "I.. yes Chip, I'll do it! But please, promise you won't die here!" the bard hugged back his friend with all his strength.

"No one is going to die!" declared Gadget forthright. "I will talk with Lawhinie and… " She stopped at mid-sentence, because deep inside she knew she was just lying to herself. "… I have to go!" she finally said, and took off the ground to search for her twin sister.

"Gadget, wait!" begged Chip, but the witch was already flying away. "Damn! Monterey, Zipper, follow me! We will help the wounded soldiers! Dale, Foxglove, go save Tammy and get out of here!"

"At once!" exclaimed Monterey and Zipper together.

Foxglove grabbed the paw of her hesitant boyfriend on her own. "Come on darling! Tammy needs us!"

"Right, let's go" answered Dale downhearted, watching his friend running towards the smoke cloud.

From the air, Gadget realized the true magnitude of the disaster. The fireball launched recklessly by her sister had ignited the dry branches and leaves around the camp. The fire was spreading to the grassland, and soon the whole field would be engulfed by flames. The heat and the smoke were hurting her eyes, but still she was able to distinguish her sister on the distance, hovering in circles around a young injured soldier. One could say she was enjoying the fear on his face.

"Oh little soldier, are you afraid of me?" the evil witch asked mockingly.

The musketeer was trembling in fear, trying desperate to load his crossbow. "Please, Leave me alone!" the soldier begged. He was shaking so much that he dropped the bolt off his weapon. Lawhinie gave the soldier a wolfish grin.

"Oh yes, I knew it! You are completely terrified of me! And of course you should! I'm about to turn you into dust, mwa ha ha ha!"

Lawhinie closed her eyes and started to wave his paws in a strange pattern. A dark aura wrapped her as she recited the words of his spell. "Ashes to ashes..."

"Lawhinie!"

The evil witch interrupted her enchantment and turned around surprised. "Sister? is that you?". The poor soldier used that moment to run away from her. Lawhinie glanced at him a last time but decided to let him go. There were more important issues at that moment. Both sisters landed and jumped off her brooms at the same time.

Lawhinie greeted her sister with open arms. "Gadget! What are you doing here? Did you change your mind and decided to join me?"

Gadget shook her head. "No, not really... I was nearby and... its a long story. Lawhinie, why are you attacking this people?"

"And why not?" replied the evil witch with disdain. "These are inquisition soldiers! They don't deserve any mercy from me... Also, I'm looking for a book" she finished the sentence looking at the ruins of the main tent with curiosity. _Yes! it should be nearby_

Gadget stared at her sister quizzically. "A book? It might be burned down by now! I mean, look around, you set the whole camp on fire!"

Lawhinie smiled mischievously. "Nonsense! This book is very special... I'm talking about the grimoire of Bethany Lombardi, the famous archmage. A bit of fire won't ruin it"

Gadget gasped astonished. "The archmage's grimoire? Are you serious?"

"Totally! And look, I think I just found it!" Lawhinie pointed to a lonely figure covered in ashes that was pitifully crawling away from the fire, holding a large book tightly. "Come sister, let's get that book" Lawhinie mounted on her broom and charged towards the survivor.

"Lawhinie, wait!" Gadget didn't have other choice than to follow her sister.

The lone and injured figure was none other than Julien Montblanc, the leader of the inquisitors, trying to understand what had just happened. Everything was on fire, his fur and robes were burnt, his lungs hurting every time he tried to breath the hot air. On the distance, His soldiers were crying for help, but he didn't care. The book was far more important than some replaceable pawns. He had a deal to keep. To deliver that book to his master and then...

"Hello Julien" a female voice sounded behind him. A voice he knew very well.

"La… Lawhinie?" the red eyed mouse couldn't believe it. "What are you doing here?"

"I came for the grimoire" the evil witch answered coldly.

The priest refused and gripped the book harder. "Wait! I can still deliver it! I don't need your help!" But then, he realized the truth. "Wait... it was you... you witch! You attacked us! Why?"

Lawhinie smirked wickedly. "It's pretty obvious, don't you think?"

Julien hissed at the realization. "Impossible! You want the grimoire for yourself? You are betraying us! You are breaking your contract!

"Oh shut up!" blurted out Lawhinie taking him by his collar. "Now, give me that book already!"

Nearby, Chip and his friends were helping the injured soldiers to escape the flames. The explosion had left them unconscious and burnt, but they were not fatally wounded. Not yet. The fire was consuming the grassland around and the air was too hot and almost unbreathable. It was then when the ranger heard the sound of people arguing loudly. Narrowing his eyes, he found a bizarre scene in front of him: the evil witch with the bent hat and Julien Montblanc were fighting over a cooking book, trying to pull it off the other's paws, whilst Gadget was trying to mediate and calm them down.

"Let go the grimoire, fanatical monk!"

"Never, witch! Mephisto will know of this!"

"Stop both of you! I'm sure there is a better way to solve this!"

Chip grumbled at the irony of what he was about to do. "Monterey, Zipper!" His friends turned to him and then to the place he pointed. "We have to help Julien!"

The big mouse ran his paw over his forehead out of surprise. "Crikey! That witch found my ex-boss!"

"Emm... What about if we return for them later?" suggested Zipper.

"There is no later!" hurried up Chip. "The fire is going to kill us all if we stay here any longer, we must take Julien and Gadget out of here, now!"

"You are right, mate!" Monterey punched his palm defiantly. "Ain't afraid of no witch! Let's beat her!"

Meanwhile, Lawhinie finally was able to steal the grimoire out of the inquisitor's paws. "Yes! Mine at last! You really were stubborn, priest!" She then kicked Julien away from her.

"Oww! Give it back to me!" Julien was ready to pounce on her, but the witch surprised him by placing her paw on his forehead. A cold shiver ran through the inquisitor's body. "What... what are you going to do? to kill me?"

"Ha!" the witch smirked. "You think I'm stupid?. If I kill you then you would run straight to our master to tell everything! I can't allow that!"

Julien gulped in fear. "T-Then?"

Lawhinie looked away thoughfully. "I think... Rouen's cathedral could use a new statue". The paw over the priest's forehead started to glow with a purple light, as the witch whispered some unintelligible words.

"Sister?" asked Gadget distressed. "What are you…"

"Flesh. To. Stone!"

"Noooo!" the inquisitor screamed watching his legs and robes turning into solid rock. He jumped and tried to grab Lawhinie's sleeve but it was too late. Even his fur was now heavy. He fell again on his knees adopting a supplicant pose. Soon, he wasn't able to scream anymore. Before his red eyes turned to stone, the last thing he contemplated was Lawhinie's twisted leer on him.

Gadget stepped back aghast by her sister's actions. "Lawhinie, what have you done? How did you learn that spell?"

"Let's just say I'm our overconfident master's favorite, he he he!"

Suddenly, a voice sounded behind of them. "Turn him back to normal, now!" Both witches turned around surprised. "What? Who is there? Show yourself!" ordered Lawhinie annoyed.

A breeze dispersed the smoke for a moment and three heroes appeared in front of the witch. Chip, Monterey and Zipper. The trio unsheathed and pointed their blades at Lawhinie, who just chuckled and wrapped her arms scorning them unimpressed. Chip glanced from one sister to the other. _"Gosh, they are so alike!"_ he mused. _"But how could this witch be Gadget's sister? Their eyes are the same, but there is no tenderness on them, only anger and hate!"_

The evil witch gave them an appraising look. "What do we have here? A party of heroes just like in the fairy tales! How… convenient" _"Some idiots to blame for this incident"_ she plotted mentally. "So, band of fools, who is your leader?"

No one talked, but Monterey and Zipper turned their eyes to Chip. The ranger stepped forward and lowered his knife. "My name is Chip Maplewood, and we don't want to fight" he assured the witch. "Just turn Julien back to normal and we will leave" Chip wanted to avoid the fight, a fight almost impossible to win. He considered, with reason, that Gadget would be hesitant to fight her own sister, and he would never think on force her to choose between them and Lawhinie. Or between he and Lawhinie, for that matter. Fortunately, he had another plan. An ace under his sleeve, but he had to keep it secret up to the last second.

Lawhinie arched her brow disgruntled. "You don't want to fight? What a pity, because I do want to fight! I really enjoy turning do-gooders to ashes!"

"Ha!" Monterey bragged loudly. "I want to see you try, lady witch! Look at this!" he showed off his amulet to Lawhinie. "A black quartz from... emm... that lake! I'm completely immune to your tricks!"

Lawhinie stared silently at the amulet for a moment. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, she extended her arm and cast a flashing lightning bolt that destroyed the necklace. The quartz fell to the ground in tiny sparkling pieces. It took Monterey a full second to notice that the girlie amulet in his paw didn't exist anymore. "Crikey!" He yelled, rubbing his burned fingers.

"You were saying?" The evil witch mocked him.

Chip watched in awe how the melted pieces of the amulet were scattered by the wind, along with his plan. He was also struck by the way Lawhinie conjured the lighting bolt, in less than one second and without telling any magical word at all. This witch was awfully powerful. Chip grimly realized that no one, not even Gadget, could stand against her.


	12. Chapter 12 - Blue eyed demon

**Chapter 12 - Blue-eyed demon **

Zipper did a nervous collar tug. "Guys I think... we are in a big trouble now"

"Indeed you are" grinned Lawhinie mischievously. "You will be my scapegoats here. A group of thieves who ambushed the wealthy inquisitor's caravan; you killed the soldiers, kidnapped the inquisitor, took the gold and decided to keep this cooking book because... I don't know, you are tired of eat potatoes every day and stuff".

"As if we were to help you!" replied Monterey bluntly.

Lawhinie narrowed her eyes at them. "That's the better part! I don't care about your opinion. I'm gonna make you disappear right here, just like dust blown away by the wind! It will be the perfect crime! Mwa ha ha ha ha! Oww!" Lawhinie's villain laugh was interrupted by a broom mildly hitting her head. "Gadget, what in blazes are you doing?"

"That's enough, sister!" said Gadget overcoming her fear. "I… I won't let you hurt my friends!"

"Friends?" asked Lawhinie rubbing her head. Grumbling, she turned around to scold her sister. "Friends? Are you finally gone crazy? Look at them; they are just a bunch of peasants! Our mother would be so ashamed of you!"

"Hey lady!" Monterey replied. "Just so you know, Zipper and I come from noble families!"

"And I should care because…?"

"And why is that cooking book so important, anyway?" asked Chip with suspicion.

"Oh this is not..."

"This is not a cooking book!" interrupted Gadget. "It's the grimoire of Bethany Lombardi, the mage that almost defeated our master Mephisto some weeks ago! It's actually a very powerful spell book!"

Chip's eyes got wide._"A mage? A mage called Bethany? No, it can't be!"_

"Uh yes, just what my sister said" confirmed Lawhinie rolling her eyes. "Come on; tell them the whole story if you like!"

"Well, you see…" explained Gadget absently. "Almost two months ago, Bethany Lombardi and her husband attacked our master's hideout in Paris..."

Chip gulped as he started to solve the puzzle. _"Bethany and her husband? Two months ago?"_

"That made him angry..." added Lawhinie casually.

"Yeah, very much..." Gadget continued with a sorrowful tone. "They fought him and... never were seen again"

"Oh I'm sure they are dead!" added Lawhinie indifferent. "Our master probably ate them!"

"He ate them?" echoed the heroes shocked.

"I suppose! I mean, Mephisto had transformed himself into a black cat to fight them, and that was quite funny" Lawhinie couldn't hold back a chuckle.

Gadget continued the story. "Before disappearing, Bethany somehow managed to seal away our master's powers. He is now trapped in a cat body and can no longer feel our presences. So we are... almost free"

"Almost?" repeated Chip puzzled.

"Almost..." explained Gadget with sadness. "The contracts are still valid. That's why we can still use black magic, but once we die... our souls will be sent to the netherworld forever... we will never reborn again. We are doomed!" She ended looking up at the sky covered by smoke, ashes and a hot wind, and for a moment, she imagined herself spending an eternity in a world like that.

Chip looked at his tearful hopeless friend. He felt his own heart cringe with sorrow. "I would never let that happen!" he said defiantly. "There must be a way to help you! To help both of you!"

Lawhinie made fun of Chip's offer. "Aww how nice of you, chipmunk! But I don't need your filthy help! I already found the solution to our problems!" Lawhinie patted the head of stone Julien. "You see, Mephisto asked this fanatical lackey here to find Bethany's grimoire hoping that the mage had written something about the seal, but I have a better use for that book..." A malignant grin crossed her face. "I will use the grimoire to end what that white mage started, I will kill Mephisto! Our contracts will end and I will become the most powerful witch of all, ah ha ha ha ha!"

Monterey sighed in annoyance. "Oh just great! How many power-hungry persons have we met in this last month, Zipper?"

"Three, if you include the captain of the ferry between London and Le Havre"

"Just... great" The big mouse grumbled rolling his eyes.

Gadget looked away rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Sister, I count at least four fatal flaws in that plan of yours!"

Lawhinie just shrugged in response. "Well, it is still better that your plan! Just running away and hide on the other side of the world!"

Chip insisted. "Lawhinie, I'm sure there are better ways than to kill everyone around you! Let Julien go, we can help you!"

Lawhinie waved off the offer. "Sorry but... nah! I'm a lone wolf. The only thing I need of you is... to die! Die so I can blame you and keep deceiving my master!"

"This is not good!" said Monterey drawing his sword. Zipper followed him immediately. Chip hesitated for a second.

Gadget put herself in the middle and spread her arms to try to stop the fight. "Lawhinie, please listen…"

"Oh just stay there!" The evil witch clasped her paw. For Gadget's horror, web cobs appeared all over her robes and cloak, wrapping and making her fall to the ground. "These peasants can't save your soul, sister. I'm your only chance!"

"No!" exclaimed Gadget trying to break free. "Don't hurt them!" A second later she wasn't able to say anything else. To her horror, the web cobs covered her mouth. Still, she continued to struggle rolling on the ground.

Ignoring her sister, Lawhinie ignited her paws on fire with a twisted grin on her face. Her killing stare denoted there was no way to reason with her anymore. "Burn heroes, burn!" She shouted as she raised her arms. The flames around the battlefield responded to her, growing bigger and wilder. The heat augmented so much that it was like being inside an oven.

Monterey was the first to fall in desperation. "Crikey! She is crazy! Everyone, on mah command! Let's charge at her!" Without any better plan, Chip and Zipper nodded and joined Monterey on his attack. "Now!" The big mouse pounced and swung his giant sword at her. Lawhinie didn't even blink. She dodged the savage cut stepping aside with a twirl, casting a fire wall as counterattack that set Monterey's clothes on fire and halted the side attack of Zipper and Chip. With a second spin, the witch conjured up a lightning wave that injured and threw the trio of heroes to the ground. They shivered in agony as the electrical current crossed through their bodies.

"Aggghhh!"

It was their pure instincts what made them stand again despite the injuries. However, they couldn't help but to step back in fear. The scottish knight rubbed his scorched fur. "This… this witch is… what do we do now?"

Coughing, Chip almost fell to his knees again. The pain of his left side was unbearable. "I… I don't..."

Suddenly, Chip's green cloak fluttered. The wind had changed its direction unexpectedly. A cold night breeze entered the battlefield subduing the heat and soothing the wounds of the heroes. The change of the wind was so strange that Lawhinie herself stopped her attack and glanced to the sky in wonder. Up there, the cold winds were carrying along branches, leaves and… smoke. The smoke from the wildfire fell over the battlefield like a curtain. That was it! Chip stood on his feet with a plan. A last, desperate plan.

"Monterey, Zipper! Attack her from beneath the smoke!"

"Understood!"

Lawhinie was already losing sight of them when she heard that order. "What? You think you can outsmart me? Keep dreaming!" She distinguished the wide shadow of Monterey and launched a quick fireball to him. It missed. "What the?" On the corner of her eye another shadow appeared. She reacted by turning and casting a lightning bolt. She missed again. "You insects, stay still!" Another shadow crossed at her side. She twirled around with a fire wave. Nothing. "Arrgghhh! Don't move!" Enraged, the witch launched fireballs in all directions, blinded by the smoke and desperate to hit one of her enemies. It was useless; she only managed to raise more smoke and dust around her.

Such effort caused Lawhinie to stop to breath for only a second. It was just what Chip needed. Unexpectedly, he jumped out of the smoke in front of Lawhinie's face. His nose almost touched hers. The witch yelled and jumped back startled. Monterey was just behind her, ready to hold her with a bear hug.

"Kiiiaaaa!" Lawhinie yelped. "Let me go, you brute!"

"Please mah lady! Calm down! Stop struggling!"

"You will regret this!" Lawhinie started to weave her paws to cast a spell, but Chip ran to her and held her paws on his own.

"Stop, Lawhinie!" the ranger ordered. "It's enough!"

The witch felt a sudden bolt of embarrassment. She revolted even more. "Let me go! Let me go so I can kill you for this!" She then gave a deep breath, ready to shout a deafening shriek.

Too late. Coming from above, Zipper reached her and wrapped his arms around her mouth. The witch was so surprised that she stopped to struggle. And for a moment, everything was silent.

Just for a moment. Lawhinie quickly realized that she had a fly on her mouth and shivered disgusted. She started to struggle even more fiercely, if just to get rid of Zipper. She was fighting back so desperate than everyone had problems to keep their hold on her.

"Monty!" shouted Zipper shaken from one side to another. "I'm falling!"

"Hold on, mate! Ouch! Please, mah lady, stop kicking me!"

"Lawhinie!" begged Chip as the witch sank her long nails on his paws. "Calm down, we won't hurt you! I promise!"

Zipper couldn't hold anymore. He was tossed aside and the witch was finally able to yell again. However, it wasn't a spell what came out of her mouth. "Yiaaaaaaaaahhhh DISGUSTING!"

Lawhinie's scream was so acute that Chip and Monterey fell on the ground covering their ears. Once she stopped, Chip glanced up just to discover the witch floating over the ground on her own, her face filled with fury and indignation; her blue eyes sparkling like a pair of burning coals; her lips curling back to bare her fangs. The vision was so frightful that the ranger crawled some steps back. Barely containing herself, the raving witch raised her left paw and snapped her fingers. The web cobs wrapping Gadget were consumed and disappeared.

Gadget stood up and addressed her sister with a pleading voice. "Lawhinie? Just calm down, ok? My friends didn't want…"

A brown, expanding orb appeared on the right palm of the evil witch. "Sister…" she hissed. "Protect yourself, these fools will suffer! They will suffer and then they will die!"

Gadget looked terrified at the magic orb. She knew what was about to happen. "Oh no! Chip, run away!" she shouted at her friend.

_"Run? Where to?"_ Chip thought as she looked around desperate. The flames were responding to the witch again, spreading and dancing like living beings, igniting and eating every inch around them. There was nowhere to run.

"Chippah! You have to shoot her!" Monterey said while holding his stunned friend Zipper. "There is no other choice!"

The orb increased its volume and floated over the witch's paw. Lawhinie let it go and closed her eyes, weaving her paws and whispering magical words. Chip only had this chance. He grabbed his bow, picked an arrow and tried to decide where to shoot. _"Heart? No! Legs? No! Paw? Paw!"_

The ranger's shot cut the air with a hiss. Right to the weaving paws of the witch. She then opened her eyes defiantly. The arrow, everyone's last hope, bounced back before reaching its target.

"It's… not fair…" said Chip incredulous.

"Nothing in this life is fair, chipmunk! Death cloud!" Lawhinie launched the orb to the ground with great fury. Gadget barely managed to invoke a magic shield for her before the orb exploded and covered the whole battlefield with a poisonous cloud. Chip, Monterey and Zipper were caught within. They immediately fell to the ground coughing, their eyes tinged yellow. The poison entered their bodies and burned them from inside, making them writhe and scream in pain. It was like being burned alive.

Their screams could be heard all the way to Tammy's flipped over cage, where Dale was doing his best to open the lock that was now upside down.

"Did you hear that, Dale?" Foxglove asked to his boyfriend. "These were screams, I'm sure of it!"

Tammy shook the bars of her cage desperately. "Come on, Dale! You said you knew how to pick locks!"

"I know!" the bard exclaimed distressed. "Please, stop shaking the cage!"

"Hurry up then!" exclaimed Tammy with anxiety. "Chip is in danger! Did you see that fire throwing witch that destroyed the camp?"

"Sure we did!" answered Dale focused in picking the lock. "She is the twin sister of Chip's witch friend! Oww!"

Foxglove's poke came too late. Dale realized what was just said and glanced at Tammy awestruck. The girl's expression was growing dark; her paws were clasping the iron bars that had her imprisoned. Dale and Foxglove took a preventive step back.

"Chip… Chip and a witch!?" Tammy's eyes narrowed as she tried to contain her rage. "Chip is hanging out with a witch while I'm trapped here? Never! I want to get out! Let me out, I will kill that witch myself!" She was now fuming like a dragon, gnashing her teeth and shaking the bars with a wild stare.

Dale gulped and tried to cool off his friend. "I wouldn't say 'hanging out', they just kind of fly together"

Foxglove ran a wing over her head. "Dale, for god's sake!"

"Iaaarrggh! I want to get out now!" Tammy shook the bars of the cage with all her might and fury. It was such a display that the wooden base broke apart and Tammy fell to the ground heavily. "Woaaah!"

"Tammy!" Dale and Foxglove ran and helped her to stand up. "Are you are right?"

Tammy rubbed her pained head and looked around quizzically. She was now free. "So… that was all? I could have escaped hours ago?"

"Yeah, it seems like these French cages aren't what they used to be" remarked Dale jokingly.

"Never mind!" huffed Tammy. "Now, where is that witch?"

"Which of the two?" asked Foxglove sheepishly.

"The one who wants to steal Chip from me, of course!"

Then, more screams of pain were heard from the other side of the camp. Tammy turned around worried. "That was Chip! And is suffering! No one makes my Chip suffer!" The hostess grabbed an abandoned sword from the ground and ran to the battlefield without a second thought.

"Tammy, wait!" the pink bat begged, but her friend just kept running into the smoke. "Dale, get out of here, I will go after her!"

"What? No! I will come with you!"

The bat looked at Dale with sad eyes. She hugged him tenderly and whispered to his ear. "My dear Dale, You are such a gentleman… but this time we are not fighting an overconfident scotch. This witch is berserk, not even your marvelous songs will soothe her. So please…" she hold him even closer. "my love, run away… This is no place for you"

Foxglove kissed her tearful soul mate on his lips. A lovely, warm and passionate kiss. She then stepped back and turned around glancing at him a last time with sorrow. "Run!"

Dale watched at Foxglove rise in the air in pursuit of Tammy. Soon she was too covered by the smoke. He stood alone surrounded by the fire, clasping his lute and sobbing silently. Oddly enough, his red nose was feeling a cold breeze around him.

"I am… useless…" he whispered to himself, almost crying.

"No… you are wrong, bard" answered a voice next to him.


	13. Chapter 13 - White magic

**Chapter 13 –White magic **

When the poisonous cloud was dispersed by the wind, a grim scene was uncovered. Chip Maplewood, the ranger of Saint Pierre, was lying on the ground defeated and shivering with fever. Monterey Jack and Zipper, former inquisition soldiers, were on the other side of the battlefield suffering from the same foul disease. The poison was burning them from inside, draining their lives second by second. In a matter of minutes everything would be over. Still, the heroes were clenching their teeth defiantly resisting the urge to scream of pain again.

Only two figures were still standing. Gadget and Lawhinie Hackwrench, black witches servants of the demon cat named Mephisto. Twin sisters they were, but their expressions denoted completely opposite feelings. While Lawhinie crossed her arms in despise and let out a disdainful grunt, Gadget grew pale and stunned at the sight of their sick friends.

"Oh Golly! Chip, Monterey, Zipper!" She ran from one to another and realized the truth. They were on the verge of a painful death. "Sister!" she glanced at Lawhinie with ire. "How could you! They only wanted to help!"

"Forget it, they can't help us" answered Lawhinie looking away. For a moment her voice was calm and almost sorrowful. "They are just... a bunch of peasants armed with wood and steel. Mephisto or any of his brethen would shred them to pieces in one second! No... Your so-called friends are useless to us"

"That's..." Gadget wanted to disprove her sister, but stopped crestfallen at mid-sentence.

Lawhinie turned around to look at her sister. The mad stare had returned to her blue eyes. She grinned wolfishly and raised her right paw that ignited in fire with a snap. "That's why I need power!" She remarked. "Enough power to defeat everyone who stands in my way, mortals and demons alike! So powerful, so powerful that even humans will bow defeated before me!"

The weak voice of the ranger responded to her. "That... never works..."

"Chip!"

Gadget ran to where his friend was crawling, still lucid despite the pain. Filled with sorrow, she laid him up on her lap and rubbed his forehead, hot and soaked with sweat. Some tears welled up the witch's blue eyes as her friend struggled to speak again.

"It's a circle..." he said to Lawhinie. "It never ends..."

Lawhinie fell silent for a moment, but then she came back to her cocky self. "A circle? Bah! The poison is making you delusional, hero!" She was mocking him, but deep inside she felt a bit insecure about the ranger's words.

A burst of pain caused Chip to moan. "Unngghh!"

"Chip, please! Hold on!" begged Gadget with tears over her cheeks. Desperate, she placed her paw over the ranger's chest and whispered some magical words. "Heal!"

Nothing happened.

"Heal!" She ordered again.

Lawhinie laughed at Gadget with sarcasm. "Sister, what are you doing? We are not healers, did you know?"

"I don't care! I won't let him die here! Heal!"

Still, nothing happened. On the contrary, Chip grimaced and shuddered again. Lawhinie crossed her arms annoyed. Suddenly, something on the ground caught her attention.

"All right, sister. I think I found the perfect medicine for him and his companions"

"Huh?"

Lawhinie stretched her arm and fidgeted her fingers. Chip's knife flew to her paw. "I think it's time to end their pain, don't you think so?"

"What!?" Yelled Gadget horrified. "No! Get away from him!" She held Chip closer to her and weaved her arm with rage to invoke a firewall around her. The spell failed, however, as only sparks and smoke appeared on the air. Lawhinie didn't even step back. Instead, she mocked her sister again.

"My, Gadget! You really are bad at casting fire!"

"I don't care, just stop!" the enraged witch ordered.

Chip opened his eyes. His vision was cloudy, his breathing was erratic and his arms weren't responding anymore. His entire body felt like inside boiling water, but above that burning pain, he felt the gentle embrace of the witch he had just met some hours ago. He was so close to her that he could feel her heart beating fast, full of fear and anxiety. She was suffering just as him. It was so unfair.

"Gadget" The ranger whispered with a weak smile. "It's all right… don't worry…"

These weak words only caused Gadget to give up and start sobbing. "I'm so sorry Chip! I'm not a healer! I'm just a…" She broke off for a moment. "A demon! That's what I am!"

"Nonsense…" replied Chip weakly as tears rolled down his eyes. "You are my beautiful friend… the one I love to fly with"

"Chip…" she said softly, and wrapped her arms around his dying friend, feeling the unnatural warmth of his body and his breath on her hair. She was so close to him that she could feel his heart beating fast, afraid of dying there. But his life was ending and she had failed to protect him. Unconsciously, her lips searched for Chip's. For her surprise, her friend was doing the same. They gently kissed each other at the same time.

"Oh please!" exclaimed Lawhinie rolling her eyes disgusted. "Stop that, sister. We are germans, we are supposed to be serious and practical!" The witch fidgeted with the knife's tip. "Anyway, time to end this drama!" She walked towards the couple with an evil grin.

Chip still had the strength to turn and look defiantly at Lawhinie one last time. "So… is this my glorious end?"

Lawhinie stopped her advance, baffled by that strange statement. "Glorious? Hardly, hero! More like…" Unexpectedly, from the corner of her right eye, a flashing sword charged at her.

"Get away from him!" ordered a girl with a fluffy tail that came out of the fire at full speed sword in hand.

"What the!" Lawhinie managed to jump back to avoid Tammy's surprise stab, but she was unable to react against the bat who tackled her at the same time from above. The witch received the full blow and rolled in the ground several steps away. Hurt and flinching, she stood up again to face her attackers. She had lost the knife as well as her beloved witch hat.

"Who in blazes are you, bat?" asked Lawhinie holding her injured right arm.

"The name is Foxglove, witch! And I'm here to defend my friends!"

"Oh really?" Answered the witch scornfully, and on the act she invoked a lightning from her supposedly injured arm, trying to surprise her opponent. The trick worked, Foxglove barely had time to cover herself with her wings, but aside from that, the spell didn't hurt her at all.

"Hey!" the witch complained. "Why are you not stirring in pain?"

"Magic resistance!" answered the bat. "And it's improving at every second, it seems!"

"How annoying! I'll have to conjure up something stronger for you!" Lawhinie started to float in the air in order to get more space and time to whisper the magic words.

"As if I were to let you!" Foxglove rose in the air and charged forth. It was a trap. Lawhinie bombarded Foxglove with small but fast fireballs that didn't need lengthy magic words. Foxglove was caught off guard at first but thanks to her echolocation skill she recovered and managed to dodge the second series of shots sent at her. Lawhinie continued to fly away trying to gain distance and seconds to conjure up more powerful attacks. On the ground, the battle looked impressive. Sounding explosions and flashing lightning bolts cast in all directions. Foxglove avoided each of them with mastery, trying again and again to get closer to Lawhinie.

Back on the battlefield, Tammy dropped her sword awestruck and ran to where Chip was lying… next to Gadget. "Chipper! What happened?"

"He is poisoned" explained Gadget swiping her tears. "I can't save him… nor Monterey or Zipper"

"Oh God!" whispered Tammy shoked. Then she saw how Gadget was holding Chip's paw on her own. Tammy's face grew red with jeolusy. "And… who are you, anyway?" she asked bluntly. "Hey, are you the witch of the cemetery?"

"Well, I met Chip in a cemetery… but my name is Gadget"

"But…" Tammy stuttered confused. "You are not… ugly" Actually, Tammy had to admit, the witch friend of Chip was quite pretty.

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Gadget naively.

On that moment, a booming explosion sounded and illuminated the sky. Lawhinie and Foxglove were still fighting above them.

"Tammy…" Chip weakly looked at his friend.

"Chipper! I'm here!" said Tammy holding his other paw. "Please don't die!"

"Tammy… Lombardi…"

"Who?" asked Tammy clueless.

Gadget looked astonished at the girl. "Golly! Tammy Lombardi? Are you the daughter of Bethany Lombardi?"

"Bethany Lombardi? Who the heck is her?"

"There is no time! Lend me your paw!"

With some reserves, Tammy held his paw to Gadget. The witch grabbed it and whispered some magic words. "Please, don't get scared" she warned, just a moment before setting on fire Tammy's paw with fire sparks.

"Ouch!" Yelled Tammy recoiling her scorched paw. Suddenly, a white glow emerged and healed the burn. The girl gasped amazed. "What? What is this?"

"White magic!" explained Gadget just as marveled as Tammy. "I awoke it by making it react against my black magic, since you and I are natural enemies. Now please, use your magic to heal Chip!"

Tammy knelt next to Chip. "I don't understand but…" She weaved her paws over Chip's body, desiring he weren't on the witch's lap, and whispered some words. "Chip please, heal!" and mentally added: _"So you can get away from her!"_

A fading white glow surged from Tammy's paws, but there was no effect on Chip.

"Please, concentrate more!" Begged Gadget, while mussing Chip's forelock mercifully.

_"I would, if you just stop doing that, witch!"_ Mused Tammy vexed. "Right, right! Here I go again!" The young squirrel closed her eyes, took a deep breath, forced her mind to blank and repeated the order more with more resolve. "Heal!"

Again, the white glint emerged. This time, it grew more and more. Chip absorbed the light and reacted arching the back and uttering a deep sigh. Immediately after, a black shadow jumped expelled from him, shrieking and contorting to finally dissolve in the air.

"What was that!" asked Tammy awestruck. "Never mind! Did it work?"

It was Chip who answered opening his eyes and smiling weakly. "Yes… I'd say so… thanks Tammy!"

"Chip!" exclaimed both girls with joy at the same time, only to look at each other afterwards. Gadget sheepishly turned away. Tammy, on the other hand, stared at her frowning.

Chip tried to stand up, but couldn't gather his strength. His head fell again on Gadget's lap. "Where… where is Lawhinie?"

"Hold on Chip, you are still weak!" ordered Gadget. "My sister is up there, fighting against Foxglove"

"And look! Foxglove is actually winning!" added Tammy pointing excited at the pink bat.

Above them, the dark sky was ablaze with fire and lightings, conjured up by Lawhinie and dodged swiftly by Foxglove. The rogue bat was almost touching Lawhinie, who was getting more and more tired and desperate with every passing second. On a certain moment, an exploding fireball launched by the witch as a taunt pushed Foxglove into a trap; Lawhinie ruthlessly attacked her with a lightning bolt right to her body. Impressively, the bat endured it whole without stopping her attack. Swearing, Lawhinie barely avoided the tackle, but not fast enough. Foxglove's blow managed to tear her elegant dress apart.

"Amazing…" admitted Chip wide eyed. "But, where are Monterey and Zipper?"

"Oh that's right! I forgot about them!" exclaimed Gadget turning at where the pair of knights were lying. "Tammy, they are over there! You have to help them too!"

"Understood!" said Tammy standing up and running in the direction Gadget pointed. She had no problems to find the heroes beneath the smoking debris of the battlefield. Nevertheless, Tammy hesitated for a second about helping the big mouse who had escorted her to the cage and locked her up. Another explosion made her come back to her senses. _"No, I have to help him!"_

She weaved her healing paws over Monterey and Zipper and closed her eyes concentrated. "Heal!" The white glow emerged more brightly this time. It was soon absorbed by the soldiers, causing the black shadows to run away from them retorting and dissolving.

Monterey opened his eyes relieved. "No more… pain… thanks, thank you so much!" Then he noted who had been his savior and couldn't help but shiver embarrassed. "Little Tammy!"

"Tammy?" asked Zipper turning to her weakly. "But how?"

"Well, how can I explain it…" answered Tammy scratching her head sheepishly. "It turned out I'm a witch after all, hehe"

A booming, powerful and flashing thunderbolt interrupted Tammy, making her jump terrified. Turning their eyes to the sky, the heroes gasped at the sight of Foxglove falling to the ground, burned and unconscious. Without wasting any time, Gadget cast her entangle spell to soften the impact of the fall. The magical bushes saved Foxglove and disappeared on the act. Tammy ran to help her friend, but stumbled and fell to the ground upon seeing the darkened, scorched figure of Lawhinie, descending slowly in front of her. The witch was tired, her long hair was mistreated and her clothes were smoking burned. Defeating Foxglove cost her too much. Lawhinie had to trick her allowing herself to be captured. On the moment Foxglove gripped her, she also hold her tight. Then, over Foxglove's frightful look, the cunning witch finally had the time to conjure a thunderbolt so powerful that they were both injured. It was the only way.

Lawhinie turned around, noticing that there was a young squirrel girl trembling of fear behind her. "Oh… I had forgotten about you, girl" she said nonchalantly, flattening her clothes and hair. "What's your name?"

Tammy gulped before answering. "I'm… Tammy Squirrel".

"Tammy, huh?" repeated the witch walking to her. "That can be your name, but Squirrel… No, I can feel it; Lombardi is your last name. I'm as certain of that as I'm certain that this book" the grimoire floated to her paw. "Belonged to your mother!"

"My mother's cooking book! Give it back to me!" Tammy reached forward trying to grab the book, but Lawhinie pulled it aside and gripped the girl's arm, causing some white sparks to appear. "Let me go, you witch!"

"Tammy Lombardi, the white mage" Lawhinie whispered with an evil grin. "You are going to be very useful to me"

Gadget stood up and grabbed Tammy by her free arm. "Lawhinie, let her go! She is just a girl!"

"Hey you two, I'm not a girl!" Tammy chided. "I could be married by now!"

Lawhinie replied with a smirk. "You see sister? She says she is ok"

"No!" yelled Tammy. "That's not what I meant! Let me go!" Both witches were tugging Tammy back and forth like a puppet. Chip, Monterey and Zipper were so weak that they just witnessed the scene in awe.

"Let her go, Lawhinie!" ordered Gadget again. "Or else"

"Or else what, sis?" Lawhinie challenged her scoffingly.

"Or else… huh?" Gadget fell silent and glanced at something behind Lawhinie. The evil witch was left waiting for her sister's answer, until she also distinguished something in the air. Musical notes, melodic but faint, carried away by the wind current that suddenly become cold. Puzzled, Lawhinie turned around to the place where Gadget, Tammy and their fallen friends were already looking at a figure approaching beneath the smoke.

"Emm Please, ladies and gentlemen!" begged a shaky voice that Lawhinie haven't heard before. "Could you lend me your ears? My… my concert is about to start!"

"Dale!?" exclaimed their friends in unison.

"A bard?" asked Lawhinie incredulous. "Sister, is this jester another of your friends?"

Foxglove opened her eyes and immediately recognized her boyfriend. "Darling, what are you doing? Please, run away!" She tried to stand up, but her injuries made her stumble and fall again.

Lawhinie gave Dale a mischievous grin. "I'm afraid you are late to this party, 'Dale'. As you can see, your friends had their share of fun already. What a shame, they weren't able to keep up my rhythm, so I guess the party is over, come back next year!" The black witch waved him off contemptuously.

"But…" Dale gulped nervously and looked at his left side. Then he started to talk and discuss with himself: shaking his head at first, then falling silent and finally nodding with a sigh. Obvious to say, everyone was looking at him awkwardly. Grimacing, Dale faced the witch again and closed his eyes in concentration. His fingers started to play the lute with a sequence of fast, repetitive notes that annoyed Lawhinie on the act. She, having little tolerance, reacted in a more assertive way.

"I think I told you... to shut up!" Lawhinie attacked Dale with a quick lightning bolt. Incredibly, her spell bounced in a thousand sparks before reaching its target. Everyone gasped astonished.

"What? What's going on here?" the witch asked.

Dale didn't answer. The rhythm and speed of his notes augmented. The sounds became supernatural and not related anymore with those produced by a wooden lute. Enraged, Lawhinie let go Tammy's arm, who ran at once at Chip's side. The evil witch didn't care; her attention was completely focused on Dale now. Hissing, she attacked Dale with rounds of fire and lightning. It was useless, the bard stood on his place, unhurt at all. The song become more and more harmonious, as more instruments started to be heard out of nowhere: drums, guitars, flutes… even female chants. To make things worse, the cold wind augmented its intensity, dispelling the wildfire and cooling off the battlefield. Up in the sky, rain clouds started to gather and spin around pushed by that same freezing wind.

"Lawhinie!" said Gadget grabbing her sister's shoulder. "This is too dangerous! you have to escape!"

"To escape? From a bard? Never! I will defeat him and his childish magic!"

To everyone's horror, Dale opened his eyes. Luminous, glowing ignited eyes. He opened his mouth to sing, but the voice that spoke wasn't his. It was more like a human voice; serene, melodious, powerful. Just like a poet god claiming with sorrow to the heavens.

"Cold is the winter snow falls down  
mystical lights dance in the sky to the winds of night  
Spell of the nature fill all my soul  
kiss with your wonderful song my land with love

Rage of the winter mould the horizon  
cover the mountains forest and lakes  
Rage of the winter magical wonder  
enchanted fury majestic force"

With these words, a snow storm fell over all of them, raging and covering everything white. The fire was extinguished by the chilling wind; the temperature fell so suddenly that everyone started to sneeze and shiver, holding one another tightly. However, this wasn't just a weather spell. Lawhinie and Gadget fell yelling to their knees, freezing and growing weaker. Their magic was being literally dispersed by the wind, in the form of black mist coming off their bodies. The divine spell was punishing them both due to their demonic condition.

Chip saw when Gadget fell to the ground in pain. Despite his weakness, he tried to stand up and run to her, but Tammy held his arm fiercely and didn't let him move away. Turning to her irked, he discovered the poor girl trembling with cold, her eyes closed terrified of the otherworldly music and the wild storm. Then, Monterey appeared at the other side of the field. Lifting Gadget off the ground, he took her to where Foxglove and Zipper were already covering themselves. The big scottish mouse glanced at Chip with a nodding gesture that the ranger answered in silence. The chipmunk turned back to protect Tammy with his green cloak. Meanwhile, The song increased in volume and power. The storm responded in unison, sending a blinding wall of snow over the heroes and the witch.

"There are no words to describe the poetry of landscape  
I can receive all the magic that my season gives  
Tears of winter falling on me freezing my dark side  
my heart must be wide fair full light eyes

Rage of the winter mould the horizon  
cover the mountains forest and lakes  
Rage of the winter magical wonder  
enchanted fury majestic force"

Desperate, Lawhinie gathered her last strength and recited her fireball spell. This time however, the fire didn't appear. Not even a spark. Actually, she realized with horror that her paw was covered with ice, as well as her face and ears. Without any strength left, she fell face down on the snowy ground. "No… " She whispered to herself. "I don't want to die! I don't want to go there!" She was afraid. Afraid of dying. Afraid of never be able to reborn again. Afraid of being sent to the punishment place and charging eternally with the guilt of… having condemned her sister to the same fate.  
Tears ran across Lawhinie's face. "Please, stop…" she begged without any hope of being heard. "I don't want to die…"

Coincidence or not, the strings of Dale's lute rip apart on that moment. The song stopped abruptly and well as the fierce winds. The storm calmed down to the point of turning into a peaceful, smooth snowfall reminiscent of a Christmas scene. The bard fell unconscious to the ground holding his beloved lute tightly. For some minutes, silence reigned on the battlefield.

Then, Lawhinie opened her eyes. She found herself lying on the ground, covered in snow and freezing. Her ears were aching and buzzing. She stood up slowly, panting and stumbling. In front of her, the bard was face down on the ground, apparently defeated. Nevertheless, the witch didn't even have the strength to speak or celebrate. Furthermore, the grimoire, the prize, was waiting for her nearby. She turned towards it when she suddenly heard the sound of a bow tensing up.

The ranger wasn't in better conditions than Lawhinie. The poison had weakened him so much he could barely stand on his feet. His previous injures were causing him great pain; he couldn't even breathe normally. Now, his whole body was freezing cold; he couldn't feel his ears or nose; his arms were having problems to keep the bow and arrow steady. His vision was so blurry and disoriented than he had to blink twice to properly focus his target. And for a moment, Chip wasn't sure who the girl in front of him was.

_"Blue eyes... long orange hair... Gosh! I'm pointing to Gadget?"_ he wondered hesitant. Then, he distinguished his mouse friend being protected by Monterey, some steps away. The ranger's expression grew dark. _"No, this is her sister! The evil witch that poisoned us and tried to take Tammy away! The one who set on fire this whole field!"_ Then, he noticed something else. _"But... if she is evil, why is she looking at me with such fear?"_

Indeed. Lawhinie's blue eyes were looking at Chip in trembling fear. She had no tricks left, no strength to run away. And now, an arrow was being aimed at her heart by the hero she almost killed some moments before. It was obvious to her what would happen next. She raised her paws slowly, mumbling something close to "wait", but faintly.

Chip didn't hear the plea. His ears were filled with the sound of wolves and horns, drums and ancient chants. This time, he didn't bother to look up; he already knew there were two ravens flying above his head.

"Destroy!" exclaimed one of the ravens.

"Build!" exclaimed the other.

"Do it!" was their order. Chip's eyes widened in realization of what he had to do. In silence, he lowered his bow and arrow.

"What? Are you not going to...?" asked Lawhinie perplexed.

"No" said Chip with weary eyes. "This is not the right way. I still believe we can work together to save you and Gadget"

Chip's friends glanced at each other incredulous. Only Gadget smiled at him approvingly. Lawhinie, meanwhile, was so amazed that she didn't know what to say. "I..."

Suddenly, Tammy bolted off the ground to grab the bow and arrow out of the ranger's paws. "Wait Chip!" she said angrily. "This witch almost killed you! You can't trust her!" The white mage aimed the arrow at Lawhinie, who gave a step back nervous. "You'll pay for your crimes, witch!"

"Hey girl, put that down! That's not a toy!" exclaimed Lawhinie fearing for her life.

"Stop calling me girl!" Tammy chided. She was so annoyed that fired the arrow by accident. "Upps!"

"AAGGGHHH!"

"Sister!" Gadget closed her eyes and looked away expecting the worst. One long, silent second passed.

"Gadget, look!" Monterey shook her gently. "Your sister is all right!"

"Yeah..." acknowledged Zipper. "But that's good or bad?"

Fortunately, the arrow just managed to hit Lawhinie's right arm. Still, that kind of pain was completely new for her. She jumped around wincing and gnashing her teeth. "Auuch! Why you little...!"

"I'm so sorry!" apologized Tammy . "Please, let me take that arrow out"

"No, stay away from me!" ordered Lawhinie shooking her head. Then, she proceeded to take a strange red pearl out of her pocket. She threw it behind her and a portal appeared out of the blue. Chip and Tammy noticed there was an elegant dining room at the other side of the tunnel. "Gadget! Take care of that grimoire, I will come back for it!" Then, she turned towards Chip with a cold stare. "You almost tricked me with your tales of mercy, chipmunk... it won't happen again! Just wait, I'll have my revenge! hahahahaha"

"Sister, wait!" begged Gadget.

Lawhinie let herself fall backwards into the portal, laughing maniacally while covering her wounded arm. Once she was on the other side, the gate faded into nothing.

"You... forgot your hat" said Gadget dolefully, glancing at the pointy feathered witch hat lying on the ground. She picked it up, as well as the grimoire, and gave them to her octopus.

"So..." said Zipper looking sideways expectantly. "We won?"

Monterey also looked for any sign of that crazy witch. "I'd say yes... Yes! we won! We beat that witch! We should celebrate, Pallies!"

"Do you need a bard?" sounded Dale's voice behind of them.

"Dale!" exclaimed everyone in unison.

The bard approached his friends carried on Foxglove's shoulders. He looked really tired, but his innocent smile was still there. His paw was still clasping the lute he used to conjure a snow storm in the middle of August. His friends ran to hug and congratulate him.

"My lad! That was the craziest song I've ever heard! And the craziest storm I've ever witnessed, by the way!"

"It was amazing!" added Zipper. "I didn't know a lute could be played so fast!"

"Say that to me…" answered Dale faintly. "My paws hurt very much!"

"Still..." said Chip with suspicion. "How is that you conjured a snow storm just with loud music?"

"Oh that..." explained Dale sheepishly. "Would you believe if I tell you that an old bearded one-eyed traveler appeared before me and told me I could save you with my songs?"

Monterey, Zipper and Foxglove looked at Dale perplexed. Gadget opened her eyes wide but said nothing. Chip, on the other hand, grinned smugly and patted his friend on his shoulder. "As a matter of fact, I believe you, Dale"

"Great!" answered Dale with a big smile. "Because he sends you his regards!"

Chip chuckled. "Oh he does?"

Suddenly, Foxglove's ears caught some new sounds. "Hold Dale a second, please" she asked, letting Dale to lean on Monterey. The bat ascended in the air some meters and then she hurried back to her friends with a haunted look. "Guys, we have to run! Everyone is coming!"

"What do you mean 'everyone' ? Asked Zipper.

"Rodents, horses, Humans! Everyone! And even worse... my father!"

"Crikey! I guess a wildfire covered in snow couldn't go unnoticed that easily!"

"You are right!" Nodded Chip, and then he gave a last glance at stone Julien. _"I'm sorry, we can't save you yet!"_ "Ok guys, I know the perfect place to hide! Follow me!"

Disclaimer

"Rage of the winter" Lyrics are © property of Rhapsody


	14. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

A joyful melody resonates in the darkness, floating beneath the dark corridors and walls of an ancient house. The tune is so upbeat and lively that marks a great contrast for the sad atmosphere around. But the singer, a young mouse girl in a maid outfit, doesn't care. In fact, every time she enters in each of the abandoned rooms, she smiles upon remembering what member of her family used to live there and its favorite song. Then she sings while trying to clean away the dust on the beds, walls and floors.

On close inspection, the looks of the girl doesn't fit her cheerful personality. With short red hair tied in a pair of little braids, she has a pale skin, as if she had just recovered from a sickness. Her complexion is slim, somewhat famished, and yet she has enough energy to complete the full list of chores by herself every day. In fact, she is the only servant in the entire house.

The girl entered the main dormitory, the only room of the house that was forever clean and tidy. The furniture there was elegant and well preserved, silver curtains with gold trimming on the windows, glowing pieces of multicolored jewelry standing in cases over the fireplace. Smiling, the girl passed her duster very carefully beneath the porcelain figures placed on the danish nightstand in her way to the curtain covered bed at the center of the room.

Drawing aside the silk curtains, the maid discovered disappointed that the bed wasn't used that last night.

"How strange" Pondered the girl with a worried face. "My lady hasn't returned yet?"

Some minutes later, while the maid was removing the dust from the elegant dresses in the closet and dreaming with wearing some of them, a strange noise from downstairs, like a groan of pain, caught her attention. A pair of seconds later, a voice called her by her name.

"Sabrina! Where are you?"

"Oh It's her!" said the maid to herself, and quickly hung again the party dress she had taken out to contemplate in secret.

"Sabrina! Come here now!" ordered the female voice again.

"Y-yes, my lady!" answered the girl running out of the room. In her hurry, she didn't notice that the door was closed, but it didn't matter at the end. Sabrina just walked through it. An easy feat for a ghost like her.

Sabrina ran silently stairs down to the main entrance of the manor, but there was nobody there. "My lady? Where are you?" asked the mouse girl glancing sideways.

"In the dining room! Hurry up!"

"At once, my lady!"

The girl made her way through the door of the dining room, and couldn't help but gasp at the sight of Lawhinie, her master, leaning on a chair with an arrow piercing her left arm and a mixed expression of pain and fury on her face. The witch was clenching her teeth trying to hold the tears; her beautiful dress was rip, scorched and blood-stained; her orange hair was mistreated and her feathered pointy hat was missing.

Recovering from her shock, Sabrina ran to her side immediately. "My lady! Are you all right?"

"No, I'm not!" answered Lawhinie bluntly. "Now help me take this arrow out!"

"Yes, yes my lady!" The maid sank her ghostly paw in Lawhinie's arm and grabbed the arrow's tip.

"Damn you are cold!"

"Sorry!"

"Forget about that, just continue!"

"At your orders!" The ghost girl pulled out the arrowhead, causing Lawhinie to stir and hiss. The maid apologized again, cleaned the wound with alcohol and applied some bandages she found in the kitchen.

Lawhinie noticed how her servant was sobbing while trying unsuccessfully to press the bandages with her ghostly paws to stop the bleeding. The poor girl was almost crying. Such compassion melted the witch's hatred for a moment.

"Calm down already, I'll do it…" Said Lawhinie passing her paw through the cold fingers of her servant to press the bandages herself. She flinched when she touched the wound and let out a yelp that made her servant close her eyes. Deep inside, Lawhinie knew that Sabrina cared about her very much. The witch decided to speak to calm the girl's anxiety. "So… are you not going to ask what happened?"

Sabrina wiped her eyes before answering. "I don't know if that would be appropriate, my lady…"

"Well, I don't pretend to tell you the whole story" Lawhinie grinned but fell silent afterwards, glancing at the lit candles of the chandelier above them. "I just think you would like to know… I found my sister"

The ethereal eyes of Sabrina brighten up with such news and her grief transformed in joy. "My lady Gadget? That's wonderful! But…" she then glanced around and asked with a hint of distress. "Why didn't she come back? Is she all right?"

"Oh yes, she is fine" answered Lawhinie sarcastically. "She got herself some new 'friends'".

The girl couldn't believe what had just heard. "Friends? My lady Gadget?"

"Oh yes" continued Lawhinie. "It seems I was not good enough for her"

Sabrina shook her head. "Please, don't say that! You are her twin sister!"

"Yes I am! And yet…" Lawhinie stopped and looked away recalling events from the past. "I think she still doesn't get over the whole 'contract with a devil' thing… well, maybe it was me who convinced her to sign, but it was a fair trade! Absolute knowledge in exchange of her soul! She can even foresight the future now! It was a bargain, if you ask me!"

"Yes it was…" nodded Sabrina trying to sound convinced.

"And now, If you could see the scum she is hanging out with! An archer, a jester, a fat moustached savage, a bat, a fly and… an immature girl… I swear my sister could open a circus with that people!"

Sabrina opened her eyes wide. "An archer, my lady? It was he who shot you?"

Lawhinie didn't answer. She tilted her head back remembering that moment again. The moment when that archer... Chip was his name? Aimed the arrow at her and they both looked at each other's eyes. The witch recalled the fear of death she felt then, and how she wanted to say something but her throat was almost frozen. In fact, she wanted to beg for her life.

A red blush appeared on her face upon remembering that. Truly, she was so scared that she was willing to beg but the words didn't came out. And then, unexpectedly, the archer put down his bow and decided to let her go. Why? Then that hysteric girl grabbed the bow and…

"Why?" Whispered Lawhinie to herself. "I almost killed him… Why did he let me go?"

"Umm... My lady?"

"I… yes!" exclaimed Lawhinie coming back to reality. "Yes… it was that filthy archer… ranger… but he failed and he is gonna regret it! Next time we met, I will turn him to dust!"

"Oh! That will teach him, my lady"

"Yeah…" Lawhinie bragged. "And don't worry about Gadget, as soon as I get better I will go look for her again. After all, she has my bo…" The witch bit her tongue. "my… hat!" Then, she realized the truth of her words. _"Damn! I really left my hat back there!"_

Sabrina used that moment of silent revelation to make a cheerful comment. "It would be great to have lady Gadget back with us! Some of her inventions need maintenance"

"Yes..." answered Lawhinie with a sigh. "Anyway, it's enough for now. I need to rest..."

"Certainly! Let me help you!"

Lawhinie managed to get upstairs to her room with the help of Sabrina. She laid down on her bed and tried to relax despite the pain in her arm. At the end, the last thing she saw before falling asleep was the sad smile of her servant, sitting at her side in silence.

Chip woke up. The first thing he saw was Tammy, sitting at his side and smiling softly at him, although a tired expression on her eyes was very noticeable.

"Hi Chipper" the girl whispered a bit weary. "How do you feel?"

"Tammy!" exclaimed the hero blushing red. "I..." He sat upright, and discovered surprised that the pain in his ribs had disappeared. "I feel rather good, actually. Did you..."

"Use white magic on you? Oh yes!" Tammy raised her white glowing paw. "I spent the whole day treating your wounds. Oh, I also cured your new companions, Monterey and Zipper. We just finished to eat dinner and now everyone is resting near the fireplace, over there. You, on the other hand, slept the whole day. Don't worry, I kept a bowl of soup for you"

Chip glanced over Tammy's shoulder. There, next to the fireplace in one of the walls of the abandoned ruins that centuries ago were part of a castle, his friends Monterey, Zipper, Foxglove and Dale were sleeping and recovering from the wounds, the burns and the fear from the night before. But... someone was missing...

"Where is Gadget!? Did she leave!?" asked Chip jumping on his feet and looking around frantically. Tammy was surprised as well as a bit hurt by Chip's sudden attitude.

"Oh calm down!" she replied placing away the bowl of soup. "The witch is there, on the window. Although we don't know what's got into her"

"Huh? Why do you say that?"

Tammy scratched her head while answering. "Well... at first she was helping me treat everyone's wounds, but as time passed by she became more and more... gloomy. I think she realized her black magic was useless. Later on, she ate her dinner in silence and flew up there on her broom"

Chip looked up at a silhouette on the corner of the window. Tammy stood up and placed her paw upon the ranger's shoulder. "Chipper, she still has my mother's book. You heard her sister, she will come back soon to search for it and then... how do you know your friend won't betray us?"

"What? No, she wouldn't never do that!" declared Chip without a hint of doubt.

Tammy, on the other hand, shook her head furiously. "Please, don't trust her so lightly! You know that witches are evil!"

Chip sighed deeply and looked around. The moonlight was entering trough the window, cutting the darkness of the room like a silver blade and revealing some forgotten wooden toys laying on the floor. If it wasn't so dark, one could notice that this was once a kid's room. "Two days ago…" he mused slowly. "Things were simpler. Witches only existed in fairy tales and were all evil, as you say. Then yesterday, in a single night, I witnessed real witches flying in brooms, turning others to stone and throwing fire from their fingers. The full definition of evilness. But on that same night, I also discovered that witches do smile, cry, laugh and supplicate. Just like any of us would do. What do you make of that? Now I believe that 'witch' is just a title. Just like 'ranger', 'cleric', 'warrior'. A title doesn't make you good or bad, your actions does. Now, up there on the window is a witch who has saved my life twice and always tries to work out the problems by talking instead of fighting. It doesn't matter if her title is 'black witch', she helped me and now she needs my help, our help..."

"I... I wish I could share your point of view." confessed Tammy downcast. "I really wish it"

"Don't worry about it" said Chip squeezing his friend's paw. "I'll climb up there to convince her to come back to us'.

Tammy watched in silence as Chip grabbed a curtain's rope. Her mind was troubled with mixed emotions (one of them being jealousy) and yet, an important question still remained in the air.

"And what about her sister, Lawhinie?" She asked bluntly.

After one moment of reflection, Chip answered with a smile. "I think there is still hope for her!"

"Nonsense..." whispered Tammy to herself.

Chip climbed up the rope and jumped to the stone window's frame. There, on the opposite corner, was Gadget, curled and occupied in petting her octopus pet's tentacle.

"Gadget?" asked Chip walking to her.

"Hi Chip" the witch greeted him without looking up. Gustav returned to the folds of the black cloak. "How do you feel?"

"I feel... as good as new!" Said Chip jovially. He stretched his arms back and forth to remark his words and try to liven up the talk.

However, Chip's hopes were broken when Gadget lifted her sullen eyes to his. They were brimming with tears. Before Chip could ask anything, She spoke with a broken voice. "I'm glad… I'm really glad that you are fine. Tammy turned out to be a natural healer, just as I predicted. Stay close to her, will you? You will be safe"

"Close to her?" asked Chip confused. "And what if... what if I prefer to stay close to you?" Chip sat next to the witch smiling and took her paw on his own. Gadget glanced nervously at him and, for his disappointment, she took her paw away.

"W-what's wrong?" the ranger asked.

"If you stay close to me, you might end up dead, or worse... You and our new friends, I couldn't live with that. I was so worried about you last night! So worried, and yet I couldn't save you when you needed me. Tammy... She did it"

"So, that's troubling you?" Chip grinned smugly at the witch. "I didn't keep count, but I think last night the seven of us saved each other's lives plenty of times. That's the meaning of teamwork. We take care of each other. We are just like the knights of the round table!"

Chip's comparison made Gadget chuckle. "Please, the knights of the round table were all good and virtuous. It may fit you, but I'm a soulless witch. The complete opposite"

The ranger shrugged his shoulders. "And yet, I trust you blindly"

"Blindly? That's not very logical of you" Said Gadget wiping her tears. "So far, you only know I can use black magic and have a twin sister"

"Well, so tell me more about you. For starters, why did you sell your soul?"

Gadget blinked twice at the audacity of that question. She soon realized she had no choice but to answer the plain truth, so she breathed deeply and started to confess. "Well, because of greed... It's always greed. Some people desire gold, others desire power... I desired knowledge. I wanted to know everything. How the storms are created, how can one travel to the stars, why do we get sick, what happens when we die… I wanted to know the answer to life, the universe and everything… And so, I trade my soul to Mephisto"

"That was…"

"Foolish? That was the first thing I learned when my wish was granted. Because among all the answers I got, I was told what happen when each of us die"

"What... happen?" Asked Chip hesitant.

"We reborn" answered Gadget looking at the sky with a sad smile. "In another body, in another time, in another place. We return to life again in again with the purpose of perfect and embellish our soul. It can take many lifetimes, but only with a luminous soul we are worthy of ascend to the heavens. So you can say that life is a cycle. The most beautiful part of this law is..." She searched for Chip's paw and gently caressed it. "Each being you meet in one life gets bound to you in order of meet them again in your next life. That way, we all help each other to polish our souls. Enemies get a second chance to make amends; friends can help and love each other again. At the end, we are all connected"

"That sounds truly beautiful" conceded Chip.

"Yes, it truly is. But then... " She turned her blue eyes back to Chip. "Do you know what happens when the beings that gave up their soul pass away?

Chip's answer was more like a whisper. "What?"

"We will never reborn again" Gadget explained with a broken voice. "The contract dictates that our souls are to be sent to suffer to a place called the city of Dis. Have you… read of it?"

Chip nodded. "Yes I have, but it can't possibly exist!"

"Oh but it does..." answered Gadget darkly. "I have seen it, just as Dante saw it four hundred years ago. My soul will be locked up there in punishment for breaking the cycle of rebirths and become a black magic wielder"

Chip remembered the verses Dante wrote about sorcerers and shook his head in desperation. "No… You can't end there! I will save you! I promise it!"

"Don't promise such thing!" She scolded him. "Do you think I haven't thought a thousand ways to regain my soul? All of them flawed, for a reason or other! Just hear this..."

While Gadget was telling him the many clauses and stipulations of her contract, something outside caught Chip's attention. A human was looking at them from the road that leads to the castle. An old human, wearing gray robes and a wide brimmed hat. By the moment when a pair of ravens posed on that human's shoulders Chip was already pale and trembling.

"Chip? Are you all right?" asked Gadget watching with concern her friend's haunted expresion. "I'm sorry, I know this can be very scary for anyone inexperienced with the supernatural"

"Scary or not..." Chip answered in a whisper. "I think... I just realized what I should do"

"What? What are you talking about?" I already told you..."

"I-I have to go outside" declared Chip standing up. "Please, go back with Tammy and the others. I'll be back soon!" With that, the green cloaked ranger hurried up back to the rope and outside the ruins. Gadget, as well as Tammy down at the fireplace, was left perplexed. The young witch turned around and glanced at the field outside trying to spot his friend. Then, on the distance, she caught sight of the old human standing in front of the ruins.

"Could it be...?" asked Gadget to herself, when suddenly, a vision assaulted her mind.

It was the future, she was at least sure of it. She could tell so by the sight of a flying machine crossing the blue sky, leaving a white wake behind. Then, in front of her appeared a human city, made of so many illuminated houses that for a moment the witch thought she was in the middle of a sea of stars. One after another, the wonders of that place were presented before Gadget. Crystal buildings as tall as mountains with their roots on an island at the center of the city. The gigantic statue of a crowned lady carrying a torch welcoming the fuming steel ships that were arriving at the bay. Enormous coliseums bathed in lights housing emerald green fields. A bridge so long that she could spent a whole day walking through it. And finally, millions, millions of humans living there as if a interminable river of people. Next, the vision presented Gadget a squared forest engulfed by the city. A silent reminder that the world was meant be green instead of gray. The vision transported Gadget inside one of the oaks of that forest, and she found there the future life of Chip.

Chip, Dale, Monterey and Zipper. Foxglove and Tammy were there too. All of them living together, with Tammy wrapping her arms around Chip as he caressed her long red hair tenderly. It was obvious that Chip was mad in love with her, and that caused Gadget's heart to flinch. Meanwhile, the rest of the group was having a great time telling histories about the humans and animals they helped that day. Gadget managed to understand some pieces of their conversation. Something about a fat cat that had tried to steal jewels from a human unsuccessfully. The vision started to fade the moment when Monterey started to throw punches to the air, mimicking a fight and causing everyone around to laugh.

The vision ended and Gadget fell to her knees, realizing from a new perspective the harsh consequences of what she had done to her soul. So far, she had endured the pain due to her solitude, but now that she had made six friends in a single night… it was just too much to bear. In her grief, she realized something else: whatever was this new plan of Chip to help her would be futile. She had just seen that the outcome for her would still be the same: Oblivion. She looked up at the waxing moon as a tear went down her face. "We've met before, but you won't know of me on the next life, no matter how much you care. What... have I done?"

Lawhinie was looking impatiently at the ascension of the waxing moon, tapping her foot at the very center of a crossroad outside of the walls of Cologne. She had a very important appointment there at midnight. The wounded witch wondered for a moment how many humans or animals had been in the same situation as her over the ages…

The midnight came and the bells from the cathedral started to chime. Twelve times. The apprehension of the witch growing at each passing sound. What if her master didn't believe her story? No, she just had to trust in her skills. Telling convincing lies was like a second nature to her since she was a little girl. She would be fine.

The bells finished their chorus and for a weird moment, nothing else was heard. However, she could feel there was someone walking down the road. A black cat.

At first notice, it looked like any other common stray cat: slim, agile, hungry; ready to pounce at any moment. But one detail was enough to tell he was anything but common. Flaming white eyes without pupils. The mark of an otherworldly fallen angel. This black cat was no other than Mephisto, the merchant of souls, locked in a mortal body as result of his battle with the disappeared heroine Bethany Lombardi.

"Greetings, master Mephisto" said the witch with a reverence, purposely showing her bandaged arm.

"Save it, Lawhinie…" said the demon cat as he stepped in front of her. "Where is the grimoire?"

Lawhinie gulped nervously. "I... don't have it with me, master"

"What!?" the cat demon growled. "Why not? Where is Julien?"

The witch quickly explained. "I went to Rouen to receive the grimoire from Julien as you ordered, master… But we were ambushed. Ambushed by a group of heroes..."

"Heroes?" Asked the cat narrowing his flaming eyes. "What heroes?"

"Six heroes, one of them the daughter of Bethany Lombardi. They even used white magic. Julien and I had no chance. They took the grimoire and I lost sight of Julien in the chaos. It was… horrible…" Lawhinie finished her recount with a broken voice.

Mephisto looked away disdainfully. "That obsessed mouse is still alive, I haven't felt his soul passing away. He is irrelevant, anyway… But these damn meddling heroes… It must be work of that damned norse god that refuses to die!" The cat shouted a curse in an ancient dead tongue and then glanced back at Lawhinie with rage-filled eyes. "Black witch, I want you to go back there and kill his new servants! Kill them and bring me the grimoire!"

"As you wish, master... but, I'm afraid I will need more power if I want to make they pay such outrage... please, grant me more of your power! Just enough to overcome their filthy spells!

The cat hesitated before answering. "More power? I don't think so... What you need is a helping hand. Go to Paris. You'll find a fellow sorcerer there who will join you. He is specialized in... gathering armies, so to speak."

Lawhinie lowered her head in a reverence. "Understood, Master"

"We are done here. Don't fail me again, Lawhinie"

The black cat turned his back on Lawhinie and walked into the darkness. The strange phenomenon of momentaneus silence occurred again. Then on the distance a group of dogs started to bark frightened, and soon the whole city was filled with terrified howls. Meanwhile, Lawhinie was alone again, gnashing her teeth enraged.

"That... stingy demon!" She whispered to herself. "A helping hand? Nonsense! He just doesn't want to share his power! Is that cat afraid of me? Either that or... he was no more power left to share…" The black witch mused on her words for a second and then grinned with malevolence. "No, It's both… Now I understand. My master is now just a helpless kitty without any magic left, except those glowing eyes. Yes, that's it... Just wait, 'master'. Once I get the grimoire, I'll be ready to break free from you! I'll send to back to the deeps of Dis and I will remain here as the most powerful witch in the world! Yes, just wait! Ah ha ha ha ha!

The maniacal laugh of Lawhinie resonated through the fields as she mounted in her broom and rose up in the night sky. And so, all the pieces on this board, white and black, started to move again. None of them could know, but they were marching blindly into a disaster... one square at the time.

**End of episode 1**


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